Science Fiction
by Clockwork's Apprentice
Summary: 'Retired' from the hero business, Danny Fenton goes to San Fransokyo to finally attend the college of his dreams. Yet according to some guy named Tadashi, what he's doing isn't really a science so much as it is science fiction. (Danny x Tadashi) - Discontinued until I can edit and revise previous chapters
1. Prologue

**Author Note: Oh my first Big Hero Six fanfiction and it's a crossover with Danny Phantom, why am I not surprised?**

 **~CWA**

 **(P.S. I was practically screaming _all the college AUS!_ When writing this so there's gonna be a few college tropes)**

 **Title:** Science Fiction  
 **Summary:** Retired from the hero business, Danny Fenton goes to San Fransokyo to finally attend the college of his dreams. Yet according to some guy named Tadashi, what he's doing isn't really a science so much as it is _science fiction._ _(Danny x Tadashi)_ **  
Genre:** Romance/Humor **  
Rated:** T  
 **Disclaimer:** _I do not own nor claim Big Hero Six nor do I own nor claim Danny Phantom._ _I do own minor OCs that are at the college.  
_ **Notes:** For anyone uncomfortable with a boy X boy pairing, just know that there's nothing too graphic, _but I will go down with this ship_ \- I fell for Danny and Tadashi way too hard to be honest. AU in both verses\- No Phantom Planet, Danielle as daughter AU, Movie verse change

 **Important Updating Notice:  
**

My updates for this fic will be irregular for a while (hopefully not too long) because I plan on making each chapter _at least_ 3000 words long, which is actually a lot for me. Anyone who has read my previous fics know that for the longest time, I only did about _1000_ words and only recently have done ones with a _2000_ words limit so I'm trying to make them longer. However, I think most chapters will be _a lot longer than my minimum limit of 3000 words that I am allowing myself_. Longer chapters- more time it takes to write.

But I do hope that I can update at least once a week or once every two weeks.

 **Edit: Minor mistakes corrected**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

 _ **New York, New York**_

I stare at the envelope in my shaky hands. The logo of the _San Fransokyo_ _Institute_ _of Technology_ is in the corner which means this is it. The letter inside will determine my fate. I had already done a presentation, a small private one for the professor of the Institute. It was one of my theory essays that grabbed his attention. But it was mostly my thesis on the possibility of the paranormal as well as my invention that scans the brain that actually got me the letter I hold in my hands. The invention's something I call the _X-Scan._ With just one simple scan, no medications, no x-ray machines, no pain, just one simple scan that someone can do at their house, you could have a total and complete summary of brain activity as well as a scan of the actual brain itself. Originally, it was to help detect possessions more easily without using my abilities (therefore giving Sam and Tucker an advantage) as well as help detect people with precognition/psychic abilities, but it can do a lot more than that. It can help tumors and cancers be detected a lot faster with a lot more ease, not to mention how much it can help doctors and paramedics with brain-related injuries.

But this college is more than just a simple college. The possibilities are endless with what I can do there. I can invent, study science, create my own path. I could even build anti-ghost weapons. I could build a new ghost portal since the old one got destroyed in the _Battle Of Amity-_ aka the ghost invasion.

Said ghost invasion plagued Amity Park a few years prior. It's considered the _Destruction of Amity,_ or the _Battle Of Amity_ by most people, especially those outside Amity Park. I know that the sudden destruction of the town caused many people to look our way, but with Vlad's influence, everything got covered up in a blink of an eye. Occasionally, even here in New York, I hear the occasional conspiracy of what may have happened on that day in Amity, but it's merely whispers in the wind. Officially, the news reported it was just a freak gas leak. No one believes that load of bull, but no one is brave enough to go against the man whose so insist that it's a tragic accident. Vlad Masters. Though I'm one of the few who know him as Plasmius. Either way, he's a pain in the ass and my biggest enemy.

My relationship with Vlad is even more aggressive than it was before. Especially since he was the leader that led the destructive ghosts through Amity. Practically an alien invasion. It destroyed so many homes and almost all of Amity. I've lost count of how many lives were lost. As for the why behind it all, I'm still not sure. I'm still looking into it, but I rarely find any leads that don't end up as dead. Thankfully, the bastard left us to our own after the raid and we don't interact very much, if at all now even if I see him occasionally on the TV on some news report. He doesn't seem to be causing too much trouble so I don't really bother him. It's one of the reasons I feel comfortable using my real name when applying for jobs, colleges, and rent. Saves me a lot of stress that's for sure.

As for the people of Amity that survived his first raid, it didn't take us long to rally together in an effort to survive. It led to many people of Amity finding out my identity. Including my parents, who supported me, and I was unofficially the leader of everyone. As for how I got that position, I don't know, because I'm still sure that Sam would have done a much better job. She and Tucker were still pretty good as my second in command though. But no matter what we seemed to do, it just wasn't enough. We didn't run Vlad out of town until it was too late.

There were maybe twenty of us left in Amity, most of us teenagers or skilled adults. I didn't know who some of them were, which pains me because I can't give them a proper burial. Though the ones I did recognize included my family, Sam, Tucker, Valerie (who wasn't happy about me being Phantom, but eventually put up with me), Dash, Kwan, and surprisingly, Star. I remember that we were small, but believed ourselves to be mighty as we took my home as our base, the ghost shield protecting us for the most part after a few upgrades to keep Vlad out…. It still didn't stop him from bombing the place.

Before I knew it, there were only three survivors of the whole battle. Myself, Jazz, and Danielle (who goes by Ellie now); though some of the ghosts that had sided with us, such as Frostbite, Clockwork, Ghostwriter, Cujo, Wulf, Young Blood, Box Ghost (who didn't like all the war-like battles) and Princess Dora, had survived. Many others died. Valerie. Kwan. Star. A few ghosts that even sided with me.

Mom and Dad didn't make it. Neither did their inventions, their blueprints, the portal, _everything…_. It was shortly after Vlad disappeared, the invasion ended after a long battle, and grief-stricken and tired, I retired from the 'official' hero business to become a normal nineteen year old guy. Well. Almost normal.

But I could rebuild the things that were destroyed all myself given time, create new things, _everything_.

All for them. Continue their family name with pride.

But it all depends on this letter and all of that is still only _half_ the reason I want to go the college. My hands shake with anticipation and my heart seems to race. But I can't do it. I just can't bring myself to look. It could either make my dreams come true or crush them into a million little ectoplasmic pieces. I slam the letter on the table, my eyes shut tightly. I can't do.

"Wimp," a familiar voice scoffs.

I crack open my eyes just enough in time to see Jazz, now through with her years at Harvard, snatch the letter off the table with a small roll of the eyes. I gesture my hands wildly, sputtering a bit, refusing to believe that she can just act so casual about this. Doesn't she realize how big this?! I finally let out a huff when she refuses to acknowledge me as she reads the letter. For a few moments, I just watch as she reads it before my foot taps a tad impatiently.

"Well…? What's it say?"

I try to keep down the excitement in my voice, but I am sure that some of it leaks through as I look at my sister with a small whine. She doesn't answer at me at first and instead just stares at the letter in her hands. After what seems like an eternity, Jazz finally sets the paper down and looks at me with wide eyes. My leg is shaking with anticipation and it takes all my strength to not bite at my nails or phase through the floor. _Please let me be in,_ I silently plead.

"You're in," Jazz finally breaths, her voice soft before she repeats herself louder, "You're in! Danny you made it!"

I let out a cheerful cry and stood abruptly from the chair, cheering as I go. I dance a bit around the kitchen in excitement. I'm in. I'm actually in. I get to go to SFIT. I get to move to San Fransokyo- and though Jazz won't be moving with me since she's happy in New York, I'm sure I will do just fine. With a yelp, Jazz finds herself in my grasp as I can't help but have a dance partner.

"Jazzy, I'm in," I cry loudly, "I'm actually in! I'm going to make it! Isn't this amazing!?"

Jazz laughs at me as I spin her around the kitchen cheerfully, the grin spreading across my face. I can't believe it. I'm actually in. After a few minutes of cheering in victory, I finally set Jazz down as my victory high comes to an end. A small whine from the other room causes us to quiet down before it stops. I almost forgot that Ellie was sleeping in her bedroom….

Calling Danielle by the name Ellie was Jazz's idea. It saves us all a lot of confusion and headaches that's for sure. Considering she's only two years old, we tend to shout her name a lot. Terrible Twos are named so for a reason. I lost count of how many times she has done something- stealing something (usually a toy or a cookie that I have to end up paying for), running away from me at the mall in some form of _hide and go seek_ (which usually gets the security of said mall involved), and all the things she breaks usually breaks my wallet. But she's just a kid. I'm trying to teach her right from wrong to the best of my ability and it's still a work in progress. After all, this is my first time raising a kid.

Every time she gets into trouble, I almost miss the other version of her that I knew. But a few years ago, when she came to me (back when she was twelve and I was still fourteen), she was destabilizing. Rapidly at that. And stabilizing her had a few side affects. De-aging was one of them. In the end, by the time I managed to finally make her stable, I was left with a two year old version of her. And it's clear that her memory of everything she's been through had been erased, replaced by a fresh mind of a young, innocent child.

"I'll go check on her," I whisper to Jazz, "After all, she is my daughter."

 _My daughter._ The words still are a bit foreign to me, but I'm getting used to them. Technically speaking, she really is my daughter and not a clone. When the Battle of Amity had happened, I had snuck into Vlad's lab and found all the records of his cloning experiments. What I found was… shocking. Interesting. It was a lot of things really. By mixing the DNA of myself and Sam (the only woman he could easily get the DNA of), a 'good' clone was created so to say, but the fruitloop didn't really have the common sense to know that when you mix the DNA of two people, you don't get a clone. You get a child. Sam's child. My child. _Our_ child…. Neither of us were exactly thrilled when we found out, especially since it was after we broke up, but it didn't change the fact that there's nothing else in the world that I adore more than her.

And I will take care of her the way she deserves. Give her a better life. Maybe by going to this college, I'll be able to stabilize my future to make more money so I can take care of her. She's the other reason I'm doing this. Even if I'm going to miss her terribly while I'm away. I know Jazz will take good care of her and if she came to the college with me, I don't know how I would be able to manage to juggle college, homework, a possible job, _and_ a daughter. I don't want her to feel neglected and leaving her with Jazz is the best way to make sure she knows she's still loved. I'll still call her _every night_ I'm away of course.

Man. This is going to be amazing. I'm actually going to San Fransokyo. I'll get to continue inventing Mom and Dad's inventions and create my own as well as invent who knows what else? Emotions build up in my chest at the realization that everything I worked for since their deaths are coming true. I can make anti-ghost weapons to keep people safe from ghosts. I can secure my daughter's future.

Everything just seems to be looking up from here on out.

 _This is more than I could have ever dreamed of._


	2. Chapter One

**And you thought I was kidding about getting the word count up there. This is the first time that I remember actually writing something over 3000-4000 words. This whole chapter alone is about 6,330 words. Holy crap. It's going to take me a lot longer to update if I keep making them this long, but luckily I had half of this chapter done when I posted the prologue hence that I was able to get this one up quick.**

 **I'll just update this fic whenever I get the chapter done, so it can range anywhere between two days and two weeks, but that's not too bad I think considering I want to make them long and most people don't update their fics at all- which is okay I guess since I can understand how hard it is to write sometimes.**

 **~CWA**

 **(P.S. Please review! And thanks for all the favorites and follows! I'm so excited for this story! It's my first Big Hero Six one too!)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

 _ **San Fransokyo Institute of Technology**_

I'm practically skipping as I enter the campus of San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. I can't help but just look around absolutely gob-smacked. I mean I expected this place to be huge, but this is… This is something else entirely. A building that seems to disappear into the clouds. Windows that soak up so much sunlight. A green courtyard. Blossoming trees. A few buildings are off to the side. Long, wide sidewalks with just as wide stairs. Ramps for people in wheelchairs. This place just looks so welcoming. So friendly. It's more than I ever dreamed it could be really.

There's people everywhere. Everywhere I turn there's someone, most are looking at their phones or textbooks. Nearly everyone has some sort of caffeinated drink in their hand. Though one guy has _several_ mugs of coffee, shaking slightly with bloodshot eyes. It's likely he has some sort of test coming up soon and pulled an all nighter. It wouldn't surprise me. I'm just thankful that with my ghostly abilities I'm at least able to stay up later than most humans with minimal damage to my system.

Though the most comforting thing about this place is the aura. It's one of my more recently developed powers. But with it, I can see and sense the auras of everything. People. Plants. Ghosts all have a visible aura- which results in our otherworldly glow. Buildings and public areas, however, just have a kind of residue-like aura that's just a result of the overall auras of the people who go there. Each aura is almost always unique to that person and shows true emotions and souls. Some are draining. Dark. Others are healthy and normal. Some are more vibrant than others. This whole place is just thriving with a healthy aura, pulsating with nothing but hope and fascination. It's refreshing to see a college with an aura that's so inviting. Which means the people must be just as friendly.

I can feel the hope in my own core forming as I grin to myself. Adjusting my grasp on my suitcases, I eagerly walk up the steps in search for my new dorm. I already have completed my registration as well as other forms needed, with Jazz's help on some of them. Most papers they gave me are folded into a neat blue folder in my book bag- such papers include a map, schedule, and even a handbook. Though there's heavier stuff they gave me too such as many text books and other reading material. I almost have to use some of my ghostly strength just to carry all of that _plus_ my own personal suitcases (which are a hefty three to four ranging in sizes). But at least I convinced Jazz to not fly all the way here with me just to see me off to college. That would be… embarrassing… to say the least.

I'm half way to the college doors when I notice something falls behind me, making me groan when I realize how hard it will be to pick just that one piece of paper without dropping everything. I could always use my powers easily enough, but telekinesis is a work in progress with me and I don't feel like making an invisible duplicate just for one lousy paper. Thankfully, my saving grace comes in the form of a nearby student. He picks up the paper carefully before handing it to me, placing it between the two fingers I hold out with a small smile.

"Don't think I've seen you around here before, must be new."

Something about him reminds me of Tucker. He has the same aura as him. That type of aura that says _I'm particular about my things and people better not mess up my_ groove. I give him a small friendly smile, shrugging my shoulders the best I can,

"Is it the bags or my overly eager smile that gives it away? Name's Danny, by the way. Danny Fenton. And yes, I'm new- I'm actually trying to find my dorm. A605?"

I add a bit of a pleading tone to my voice, hoping maybe he'll help me out. It's not like the map in my bag is easy to get to. But he just laughs a bit, shaking his shoulders as he does so,

"Sorry, I don't mean to laugh at you, per say. But the dorm building is all the way on the other side of the campus, this is the main building…. And what a way to meet my new roommate."

He gives me a slightly sly grin. _New roommate?_ I stare at him blankly for a moment before it clicks in my mind. Oh yeah. I forgot all about that. The papers did mention I would have a roommate. What's his name again? I click my tongue slightly before I go to speak, his name suddenly coming back to my mind, but he cuts me off before I get a chance to say his name.

"Yeah, look, it kinda feels weird when people call me by my real name thanks to Fred so everyone just calls me Wasabi."

Wasabi? Strange nickname. But then again, half of Amity Park knew me as _Invsiobill_ so I don't really have room to talk. I furrow my brows for a moment before just nodding, figuring if that's what he wants to be called than Wasabi it is then. He seems a bit relieved that I don't question the nickname and before I can protest, he has two of my bags in his arms,

"Well since we're going to be roommates, I may as well help you out. Come on, the dorms are this way."

At least I have a nice, friendly roommate (dorm mate?). I'm still smiling as I follow him eagerly through the courtyard toward one of the large extra buildings off to the side. Just like the main area, it's huge with many windows and plenty of room to house its students. I like the aura of this one a lot better than the aura of the main building. It just gives off a homey feeling. So many students house here so that's reasonable. Makes me feel so much more at ease, that's for sure.

Wasabi eagerly leads me through the building, occasionally saying hi to people we pass, before we finally reach dorm _A605._ He opens the door a bit dramatically, declaring a large welcome as we enter. My eyes wonder around the room. It's a fairly large size, which is to be expected since _SFIT_ is such a high-profile college. I would honestly have been surprised if the dorms weren't up to par. Nice, solid tiled floors that are going to make me prone to slipping but it does look rather nice. Sleek walls. A large window covered with a pretty heavy curtain made to keep out the light. Or maybe it's just for privacy reasons. Two twin-sized beds, two desks, one large walk-in closet, two dressers. A standard basic set up. I nod a bit in approval, happy with the way it's all set up- even if it means sharing a closet with Wasabi, I doubt we'll have any issues. Plus if all else fails, I'll find a way to fit everything in the dresser…. Though the idea that this means there's a large shared bathroom for the whole floor makes me want to vomit. Not that I don't mind, per say, but I don't want anyone seeing anything they shouldn't. Namely the large scars that I have from the Battle of Amity. Burn scars. Incisions. Stab wounds. Ectoplasm-related injuries. I have it all. And I don't want just anyone seeing that and asking me all sorts of questions that the only answer I recall have is _uh experiment gone wrong?_ Which, technically, is a legitimate excuse considering this is a college for people doing all sorts of experiments and inventing. There's bound to be a few accidents every now and then, hopefully nonfatal ones.

It seems like Wasabi has claimed the bed far off to the right, farther from the windows and the door. A quick observation of his side of the room tells me he's a fairly neat person. Not a single thing looks messy or out of place. Not even a stray paper. All pens and pencils are put up in their proper place. All of his blueprints are neatly rolled up and in a nice stack beside his desk. Even his bed looks something from a sterile hospital- fresh, tightly tucked in, pure white. It's so clean and fresh that for a moment, I wonder if I'm the best roommate for him since I tend to lean toward the more messier side of things. Not that I do it on purpose. Things just tend to… spread out.

Wasabi and I both set my suitcases on the free bed with a grin.

"So what do you think," Wasabi asks, gesturing toward the room, "Is it okay I took that bed? Last year, I got the bed by the door and couldn't sleep at all. Kept thinking someone was going to break in. My roommate moved out half way through the year as a result."

He scratches at the back of his neck a bit sheepishly with an embarrassed look on his face. I smile at him, trying to let my peaceful aura flow to make him a bit more relaxed.

"It's fine," I reassure him, "I actually like the bed near the door and window. Keeps me alert."

I wink, causing him to laugh as he shakes his head, quickly going toward his own little section of the room to work on whatever it is he needs to work on. Shaking my own head slightly, I turn my focus on my section of the room. It looks pretty empty since I have yet to personalize it. It won't take too long though. I waste no time unzipping my suitcases and unpacking away. Blueprints get taped and thumb tacked the wall- or at least blueprints I don't mind showing anyway, ones for the portal and a few others are rolled carefully and put beside my new desk. Pens, pencils, notebooks and other things like that are put in a desk drawer or left on the desk top. The thermos (and a few other things) gets shoved into a drawer of the desk that I plan on securing later on with tech so it's harder to get to. Picture frames of my family and friends are put up on a shelf. Clothes go in the dresser and since I didn't really bring much in the clothing department, I'm able to fit all of it into the dresser which saves me the stress of sharing a closet with Wasabi. Something tells me the guy wouldn't be too fond my habit of just shoving things in the closet. It takes a while to put up a few posters of the night sky on the ceiling above my bed with some other posters ( _Humpty Dumpty_ mostly) and covering my bed in sheets/blankets/comforter that resembles the stars in the sky. Finally, after putting my laptop on my bed and shoving my suitcases under the bed, I'm done.

I look at my finished product with a bit of pride. Now it looks like I live here. Which is good. Makes it a lot like home. Makes it more _me._ From the corner of my eyes, I see Wasabi pause from writing in his notebook to look over toward my section of the room. His eyes scan over everything and he only seems mildly irritated that I didn't put the posters in any sort of pattern, they're all just taped randomly on the wall with the blueprints. As soon as his eyes hit the blueprints, I can see the curiosity spark in his eyes as he gets up to walk over.

"Just what are you planning on building," he mutters just a bit, his eyes scanning the RV blueprint on the wall, "Is it some sort of tank? Military vehicle?"

Technically it can be a military vehicle. Though the idea of the Guys in White (though they have disbanded after the Battle) using the RV makes me want to vomit. Thankfully I'm saved from answering as both our stomachs growl a bit louder, causing us both to laugh as we realize it's about time for lunch.

"Come on," Wasabi gestures for me to follow him, "I'll take you down to the cafeteria and afterward I can show you where the lab is that you'll be using. Thankfully, it's the same lab room as me so it's not like it'll be out of my way or anything. Or unluckily if you don't want to spend so much time with me, but you strike me more as a loner type of guy so you don't have to worry about me bothering you. I tend to stick to myself too. Well sort of. I do have friends in that lab so we do talk to each other a lot, but- I'm babbling again aren't I? You know you can just hit my when I do that. That's what GoGo does."

We're already half way down the hall and almost out of the dorming building when he mentions GoGo. I quirk an eyebrow at the name, causing him to flush as he tries to find a good explanation,

"It's… It's all Fred's fault. He gives everyone nicknames and for some reason, they just stick. I'm Wasabi. She's GoGo. Another one of my friends is Honey Lemon. Strangely, he hasn't given Tadashi a nickname yet but I think that's just because Tadashi doesn't make a fool out of himself like the rest of us. If you want, I can introduce you to them when we get to the lab. I'm sure you'll like them and I just know they'll like you. Even if you have the whole loner vibe-"

He gestures toward my whole body. I understand. I don't exactly dress like most of the people here seem to dress. I mean really, here I am in a sea of science nerds with a leather jacket and a dark shirt. Not to mention that there's not really many people I've seen that walk around with their hair dyed two different colors (though there are a few who have a more darker look to them). Man, it was so hard to dye my hair in human form and make it change in ghost form. With it cut to an undercut that's a lot shorter on the sides and more up top made it easier to dye though. With the shorter sides and back of my head as my normal raven color, the top scruff is pitch white like snow. The pros of dying with my 'specially made' hair dye means that my hair in ghost form is the same as it is in this form. Really though. I can't stress how hard it is to mix hair color dye with ectoplasm so it stays in both forms and I don't just phase it off. I managed to dye it just before the Battle. If Sam wasn't interested in hair styling at that time, I doubt I would have been able to do it without her help.

"-you do remind me a bit of Tadashi so if anything, you two will get along."

Huh. I wonder what this Tadashi is like then. I muse a bit to myself, mulling over the various possibilities of who this Tadashi could be, but I get a bit distracted as I realize we've already made it to the cafeteria. It's larger than a normal cafeteria, thank goodness for that because this place seems to hold a lot of students. Each one must be brilliant in their own way. Though I'm a bit wary of the guy in the dragon-like suit that's spinning a sign in the corner.

I tap Wasabi on the shoulder and point toward the dragon suit guy,

"Is… Is he a student?"

"Technically speaking," Wasabi drags it out just a bit, before cutting it short, " _No._ But he is a friend. Hey Fred!"

He waves toward the sign spinning guy, who stops just briefly enough to wave back before returning back to spinning the sign; as much as I hate to admit it, he seems to be really good at what he's doing. So that's Fred, huh? Suddenly the nicknames make a bit more sense. Fred doesn't really seem like a normal guy. Then again I'm one to talk. Shaking my head, I join Wasabi in line and it's not long before we have some lunch at a nearby empty table to ourselves.

"So Danny," Wasabi speaks up, "Where did you live before you moved here? You don't seem like a native to San Fransokyo. No offense."

I wave the comment off, swallowing a bit of food before replying,

"None taken. I actually lived in this small town in Illinois for a long time, it was where I was born. And I do mean really small. Like we were _barely_ on the map. But I moved here form New York, where I lived for a few months until now. Left back some friends there that where also from Illinois. As well as some family."

Wasabi nods, taking the information in. I'm careful to not spill to much information, but he's just being friendly and really, it would be nice to have a friend here. As much as I love Sam and even Dash (whose improved since the Battle), I do need more friends. While I'm here anyway. Doesn't mean I'll be spilling any deep dark secrets anytime soon.

"Family, huh," Wasabi prods just a bit, "I don't really have much of a family myself, but my friends have become my family so it's not so bad."

I laugh a bit, shaking my shoulders,

"I know what you mean. For a long time, my friends were a part of my family just as my actual family. My parents died a few years ago, but I still have one sister. She's a lot older and already finished with college- she's a Harvard girl. Got her degree in psychology and everything. Though now she wants to try going for a law degree. She's a pretty good psychologist so she has the money for it right now at least. But her plus my _cousin_ and our very strange dog make an interesting family."

Pft. _Cousin._ I hate using that word when I talk about Ellie, but there's not many people who would be understanding of me having an already two year old daughter when I'm only nineteen myself. Jazz is at least very supportive of it- helping pay for child supplies including toys and clothes. Personally, I just think that because she can't have kids of her own (a sort of ovary problem that I forget the name of), she's thrilled to have a little niece to dot on. Now that I think about it, Jazz is probably spoiling her as I speak.

Wasabi laughs in understanding. Judging from the fact that Fred is one of the friends in his little 'family', I bet he has a pretty strange family too. Though I doubt it's as strange as a halfa with PTSD and probably a few other mental illnesses (aka myself), a half ghost daughter that was literally born in a test tube with the DNA of myself and an ex-but-now-dead-girlfriend (Ellie), an overbearing older sister with protective issues (Jazz), and ghostly guard dog (Cujo). Don't even get me started on Ellie's ghost training either. The girl's a menace to train.

* * *

Wasabi leads me straight to one of the many labs of the college. This lab in particular is labeled _Lab A-7_ and judging from what Wasabi told me on the way here, is shared by himself, his friends (Honey Lemon, GoGo, Tadashi and more or less, Fred), and a few other people. Now that group also includes me of course. As we enter the lab, I feel the excitement bubbling up inside of me as it really sets in that I'm here. I'm going to do this. Going to invent. Going to help people. I feel like I could just scream from sheer excitement alone.

The lab is just as big as I imagined it would be, maybe even more so actually. It's all split up a bit evenly, diving people's work space while still leaving a lot of neutral area for people to wonder. That makes sense. I mean not everyone's inventions are going to be very safe, so it's best for people to avoid other's work space unless necessary. There's so much to take in though. Metals everywhere- lots of it scrap pieces laying in the neutral ground. Old wrinkled blueprints. Black blueprint paper in a stack off to the side for anyone who needs it- as well as pencils and a few other basic materials including a form that I suspect is to fill out for any needed materials for your project. Everywhere I look, I see people working on their own projects. There's even one guy who has some sort of hovercraft-like boots on a cat. Heh. Flying cat.

"Pretty cool, isn't it," Wasabi comments, looking around a bit himself, "My area is all the way over there, but your area will be that space back there. If you need something, feel free to come get me unless you want your space that is and I don't want to bother you sooo..."

He trails off slightly, but my eyes go back and forth between his area and mine. His area is filled with what seems to be some sort of plasma-powered device. A type of laser maybe? Plasma laser? That'd be pretty cool. Then I look toward my space. There's a few things already in it, stuff that I asked Callaghan to provide for me to get started. Most of it is metal and metal wielders and tools on a table. Aside from that, it's rather an empty space that leaves me lots of room to work. It's in the back of the lab so I suspect I won't bother too many people when I wield the metals. Or when I play some music while I work. Though I have a feeling if anyone ever has a problem that they'd let me know- that thought causes me to glance briefly toward the dark-looking girl working on some sort of bike. She has a gothic feel to her, a lot like Sam actually. At least I'm not the only one who likes darker colors and leather. But when she glances toward me, I yelp at the dead glare causing Wasabi to laugh as he pats me on the back.

"Don't let GoGo scare you. She's really not that bad."

Oh. So that's GoGo then. One of the other members of Wasabi's little group. Her aura reminds me a lot of Sam as well. A strong, fierce aura that tells me that she won't be anyone's doormat. Though there's a softness to it that suggests she has a softer side to her. She looks up at Wasabi's comment, revealing more defined eyes that suggest Korean or some other similar relation.

"Others may disagree with you," GoGo chimes in as she pops her bubble gum.

Her voice is a bit flat and slightly fierce. A type of _don't mess with me I don't have time for bullshit_ tone. She eyes me up and down for a moment but I stand my ground. As intimidating as she is, I have faced worst. Dan. Vlad. Countless other ghosts. I match her stare easily and I seem to pass her test as she gives me a nod of approval before returning back to her work without giving me another glance. Well. At least I'm apparently on her good side.

"Not often she approves of someone so quick," Wasabi muses slightly, "You must be a good one. But either way, that's GoGo. And that over there is Honey Lemon."

I follow his gaze toward what seems to be a very hyperactive, friendly girl. Long sunny hair that probably gave her the nickname _Honey Lemon_ in the first place. Though she does seem to be pretty sweet like honey too if her smile is anything to go by. She's practically dancing around in her work area, picking up this and that, mixing that and this. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and she wears necessary protective equipment that's to be expected if one works with chemicals. Such protective equipment doesn't really do much for me now- apparently my ghostly status makes it harder for chemicals to actually have an affect on me.

It takes a moment, but she does eventually notice Wasabi and I staring at her, causing her grin to grow as she pulls out her earbuds.

"Hello Wasabi," she greets cheerfully with a wave, "Whose that with you?"

She practically skips her way over to us, making sure to take off her glasses, gloves and apron before she leaves her area. Her gaze is on me, but to her credit, she doesn't seem fazed by my colored hair or dark clothes. She just continues to smile as she sticks her hand out toward me. When I grasp it in my own for a handshake, I feel like she's trying to tear my arm off with how enthusiastically she shakes it,

"It's so nice to meet you! Everyone around here calls me Honey Lemon! What's your name? Are you the new student?"

It takes a while before I'm able to wrench my hand free of her grasp, looking briefly toward Wasabi for help, but he just shakes his head. But she's so small. Tall, yes, but there's no visible muscle. Just where does she get that strength from anyway?

"Uhh yeah," I finally speak up, "Danny Fenton and it's nice to meet you."

She looks like she's about to say something else, but she doesn't get the chance to as yet another person comes up to me. Probably the last member of Wasabi's group that I haven't met (aside from Fred that is).

"Danny Fenton, huh? Welcome to SFIT. I'm Tadashi and I look forward to getting to know you. I think I saw you in the cafeteria earlier? Is Wasabi showing you around?"

Ah so this is the Tadashi Wasabi told me about. I guess we are a bit similar in appearances, though he's easily taller than I am, I'm at least more toned and muscular. He's pretty lean. Cute, friendly face though. Dark hair and eyes. I resist the urge to whistle a bit at his appearance because I have to admit, the nerdy look really works for him. I can picture him in large black glasses reciting the entire periodic table as well as facts of the different elements and different mathematical equations. He would make that look cool. As cute as he is, it's his aura that grabs my attention the most. The most friendly, welcoming aura that I have encountered yet in _anyone_. Not as protective as my own aura, but it sure is close. It tells of a loyal, family man. A guy who likes to help others.

I nod a bit in approval and agreement, eying him over in a way that he doesn't really notice, but a glance toward Wasabi and Honey Lemon tell me that they noticed. They share a type of _are you thinking what I'm thinking_ glance as they look between Tadashi and I. Even GoGo has stopped working to look at me briefly with an amused expression before turning back to her work. Judging from their looks, they can see there's a bit more than just a typical curious look in my eyes. Catching Wasabi and Honey Lemon's eyes, I wink, confirming their suspicions of my sexuality. Or at least of my attraction to Tadashi anyway. Because technically speaking, I'm more pansexual than homosexual. I find attraction in any sex or gender, or even species really. I still remember how flustered I made Ghostwriter after I apologized for ruining his book. He didn't talk to me for weeks because he was so embarrassed.

Not to say that I'm _really_ attracted to Tadashi. I just happen to notice that he's an attractive, obviously friendly and nice guy. There's nothing wrong with that and admiring the view. But making other people fluster and uncomfortable is my specialty as well as a good laugh.

My wink causes Wasabi to blush as he quickly looks away as Honey Lemon giggles, though there's a faint blush on her face as well. Tadashi looks mildly confused, but he doesn't seem to catch on what's going on. Heh. This is going to fun. I mean, I'm pretty oblivious myself, but if this guy is as oblivious as I am when it comes to noticing come ons, this is going to be so much fun to mess with.

"Yeah," I finally vocalize an answer, "Wasabi is actually my new dorm mate. Or rather I'm his new dorm mate. He's a pretty decent guy, then again a lot of people here seem so friendly and welcoming that I doubt there's a single bad guy here."

Tadashi laughs at my statement, shaking his shoulders in it,

"I hope not. If there is, I have yet to meet them, that's for sure. I see you already met the rest of our little gang," he gestures toward GoGo and Honey Lemon, "And I think Fred should be here soon. He usually comes just after lunch time, claims that we have the best food he knows. Though I encourage you to branch out and find the friends you like, I mean there's a lot of interesting people here to get to know and there's a lot of different clubs too. I think the robotics club is looking for some more members if you're into that. There's also a dimensional theory club. Though they're more theories based on facts rather than all facts. But if that's your thing, go for it."

Judging from his tone, he's less enthusiastic about the dimensional theory club than the robotics club. Figures. He strikes me more of a robot type of guy than a theory guy. I even see GoGo roll her eyes at the mention of the club so for a brief moment, I wonder if she just doesn't favor the club or if the club has done something that's frowned upon at the college. But none of the auras suggest the latter so I have faith in the club's credibility.

I muse for a moment. A dimensional theory club sounds right up my ally, especially since I'm planning on doing a portal to another dimension. Not just any dimension though. The Ghost Zone. The world completely parallel to ours. I may even make portals to other alternative realities in the future. Who knows what the future holds? I grin a bit to myself, clasping my hands,

"A dimensional theory club sounds pretty fun."

The grin on my face is almost predatory. Oh I'm going to have so much fun messing with my clubmates' heads. If I get in that is. I'm hopeful that I will and I doubt that I won't get accepted into the club considering I already do have several papers on the subject of dimensional rifts and alternative realities. Such papers that got even Callaghan himself interested. It's because of those papers that he even gave me a chance to do a project to get into the school. Though as to why a man like him is even interested in dimensional theories, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe he's just trying to expand his field? I mean he has done robotics for a long time so I suspect that he would want to broaden his field eventually.

Tadashi's smile falters for a brief moment when I say that I'd rather go into dimensional theory than robotics. Ah well. Can't please everyone I guess. To his credit, he does recover quickly and the smile easily returns to his face,

"Well in that case, you'll want to talk to Christine Bachmeier, being the club leader she's the usually the one to decide who gets in the club and who gets kicked out. You can probably find her in the courtyard if you ask around."

 _Christine Bachmeier._ I file the name away for later use. I will have to find her and hopefully get on her good side so I can be in the club. The name sounds vaguely of German descend. I shouldn't have too much trouble finding her, but there's so many students at this school I may run into some difficulty.

"Just look for the chick that has lots of piercings and a butterfly tattoo," Wasabi throws in.

I nod, remembering that for later as well. It's helpful information so I don't have to keep asking around if anyone knows where she is or ask what she even looks like. At least with a description, it will be easier to find her. Before we continue our conversation of the club and its leader, we're interrupted (again) by the same guy in a dinosaur suit that I saw earlier. Fred. He just strolls in a bit loudly, proclaiming that he has had a long day, and slips out of his suit to reveal normal casual clothing before he plops down on a nearby beanbag chair with ease. Something about him reminds me of _Shaggy_ from Scooby-Doo, probably because of his clothes and slightly longer blonde hair.

"You will not believe the long day I had," Fred speaks as if he doesn't even notice me, "I'm telling you some people are really crazy. And I know crazy."

I hear GoGo mutter something about Fred being crazy himself, but Fred doesn't even hear the comment as he just takes out a bag of chips from under the bean bag chair. I quirk an eyebrow at the others, but they all shrug as if they gave up trying to understand Fred's behavior/thinking. I'm sure Jazz would be in seventh heaven if she had a session with him. Being the psychologist she is, she still loves analyzing people's behaviors and personality traits. I'll have to remember to introduce him to Jazz if I ever get the chance. If anything so I'm not the one stuck being Jazz's guinea pig for once.

Fred still hasn't noticed me. He isn't really paying attention to anything or anyone else as his eyes are focused directly on his comic book. At least it's not an issue of _Inviso-Bill._ I still don't know how they legally made that comic of me when I never signed any consent forms. Quietly, I hover around him, leaning over his shoulder to see the comic's pages.

"What comic are you reading," I ask curiously, but my voice causes him to yelp as he jumps out of the bean bag chair.

Fred is gasping for his breath as he dramatically clutches his heart. Wasabi and GoGo laugh at him openly. Even Honey Lemon and Tadashi are chuckling a bit to themselves. Wasabi comes to the rescue, clasping his hand on my shoulder,

"Fred, meet Danny. He's my new dorm mate and the new student here at SFIT. Danny, meet Fred."

Fred sticks his hand out toward me with an easy going grin, easily over the fact that I just scared the crap out of him,

"Nice to meet you, Danny dude. I'm Fred. Genius of all things superhero, not so much a genius with anything else."

He shakes my hand before pulling away. The carefree smile never falters on his face. Wow. Not only does he vaguely look like _Shaggy,_ but apparently he has the same carefree, laid back attitude. It's pretty clear he's a bit of a fanboy when it comes to superheroes. If he finds out I'm from Amity Park, then there's no doubt he'll question me about _Phantom_ / _Inviso-Bill._ I don't think he'll connect the dots between _Phantom_ and I, but if the others get in on it? I'm at a college full of geniuses, one of them is bound to make the connection if they look.

Guess I'll just have to be careful then.


	3. Chapter Two

**Thank you so much for all the favorites, follows and reviews!**

 **I have to say that eventually, things will get interesting between Danny and Tadashi and I don't mean romantic either (though that will happen soon). As for those who don't normally do slash, thanks for giving this fic a chance! This is my first time writing slash so I hope it works out!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I didn't get much done on my lab today. Mostly because I had gotten here so late so I plan on really getting my area of the lab fixed up tomorrow. I'm thinking a small glass tank that's reinforced to contain Blood Blossoms in a way that won't bother me if I'm near the tank. I think I have an extra HAZMAT suit in one of the drawers I had just packed away. I can easily put that under my clothes and handle the flowers with ease so they don't bother me. Though strangely enough, they've only been causing me mild irritation and rashes instead of blinding pain. Maybe I'm just getting more powerful to a degree that they don't affect me anymore. Though I'd hate to see what would happen if some of it accidentally ended up in my food because if that happens, I'm sure I'd be good as ended and turned into a full ghost. I'll fix it up with a sign that says _Toxic Do Not Touch Without Proper Equipment_ _and Permission_ to discourage people (namely Fred because something tells me he's a hands on type of guy) from messing with them.

Though I still have to thank Clockwork for getting me seeds of the flower so I can do this. Currently, they are in the same drawer as the thermos in my desk. Safely confined for now, but that does remind me that I really have to reinforce that drawer soon so not just anyone can open it. I have blueprints already for experiments and inventions that could use Blood Blossoms. Some are medical. Possible cures for illness or new medicine to help with simple things such as memory and pains. Others are for more ghostly purposes. Possible serums that could prevent the average person from being possessed. Decorations that could make it so no ghost could enter a home. It's all in theory for now, I suppose, but the hope for making such things are still bright in my heart. Because if I can make all the stuff that I wish to within the few years that I'm going to be here at SFIT then I can make it so that if there is every a second ghost invasion, whether it be in just one town or possibly even a national or worldwide invasion, so many more people would be able to survive. Not to mention the medical benefits of having new medicine that can help people with Alzheimer's and Dementia.

I sit at my desk with several notebooks, textbooks, and calculators around me. My main focus is on the large blueprint plan that's spread out. The plan for the portal. With Wasabi sound asleep with no chance of waking up, I can safely display this blueprint in the open and since now that I have my other college homework done I can work on this. I look over the blueprint with furrowed brows. I'm thinking of maybe switching the power source of the portal. If I remember correctly, my parents used a type of hazardous chemical to power their portal as well as lots of electricity and a dash of pure ectoplasm. But I can't do that here. It would be too dangerous for anyone else that's in the lab. Maybe I can switch the power source to something renewable? Or possibly power it _all_ on pure ectoplasm that's possibly mixed with a serum that can make the ectoplasm less hazardous. There's a few other changes here and there that I will have to fix as well. I chew on the end of my pencil slightly.

But I'm saved by the bell. Quite literally actually. My phone goes off, vibrating so hard on the desk that it's actually making the blueprint slip and slide across the surface. I quickly snatch my phone up, barely even seeing that it's a skype call from _Jazz,_ and answer it instantly.

" _Hey Danny,"_ Jazz's face comes up on the screen as she speaks, _"how's the college so far? Didn't get yourself into too much trouble on the first day, I hope?"_

She has a _don't tell me you got into trouble_ expression on her face causing me to stick my tongue out at her. I'm almost hurt she doesn't have faith in me. But it's all in good fun. I know there's no venom behind her words, only teasing. Her eyes are twinkling in amusement as she looks at me with a small smile. I laugh slightly,

"No. Not yet anyway. It's pretty peaceful, surprisingly. Not a ghost so far, but it's only the first day. I'm sure there are some lowkey ghosts hanging around somewhere."

 _Lowkey ghosts._ Definition- a 'typical' ghost that's so low in power that's only seen by psychics and other ghosts. Usually the spirit of someone who has passed and hasn't gone to the Zone yet (or even heard of the Zone). It's a term that was coined by Sam when we went to the graveyard on a dare and ended up meeting a few of said ghosts. The memory brings a minor string to my chest, remembering my old friend. Granted she was an ex girlfriend too, but she was still one of my best friends. Swallowing slightly, I try to refocus myself on the present, as difficult as it is.

" _There's always lowkey ghosts,"_ Jazz states blankly, _"But when actual ghosts from the Zone show up, you know what to do."_

I make a face, but don't disagree with her. I'm retired from the 'real' hero business. I don't just go around saving people- I mean, I help people out when I can but that's just who I am. I don't go looking for trouble and starting fights. I don't attack any thug I see, though I will stop them from mugging someone if I catch them. But I don't have the spark to make just go fight any 'villain' I see anymore. I like to think that now I'm a bit more neutral and have my own morals I follow rather than just being chaotically good.

I don't _'go ghost'_ anymore, though now a days, there really isn't a _ghost form._ I mean, my hair stays the same due to the dye I used and my occasionally change green in human form when I'm under a lot of stress/intense emotion. I have a good grasp on my powers in human form that I just… don't need a ghost form. If that even makes sense anyway. Jazz thinks that because I'm getting older, my forms are merging and since, technically speaking, I have a better grasp on my ghost powers than Vlad, my ghost form and human form are just slowly merging into just one solid form.

Though if a ghost from the Zone shows up, I will take care of it. Swiftly. Quietly. Without being noticed. Without drawing any sort of attention to myself. Pft. Easier said than done considering I'm on a college campus. I mean, there's _always_ people wandering around. Though if the ghost ends up showing up at an insane hour of the night/early morning, it may work to my advantage. At those times, it's likely the only people wandering around will be drunk/drugged/high off their ass (e.i. incapable of actually comprehending what's going on).

" _Daddy!"_

The voice snaps me back to reality as I see a familiar face pop up on the screen and instantly a large smile graces my face. She's practically climbing all over Jazz to get seen on camera, the large smile never leaving her face. She's even cuter than I remember. Ellie's long raven hair is pulled back into two pigtails and her bright eyes are shining with the innocence of a child. I'm overjoyed to see her wearing one of my many t-shirts that I left behind for her. She tends to like my shirts better than proper pajamas. Considering she's so small, the t-shirt drapes over her and goes past her knees. It practically devours her. She looks absolutely adorable as she grins at me, waving enthusiastically. I wave back, cooing slightly,

"Hey there Princess. You're being good for your Auntie Jazz, right? Brushing your teeth every night? Taking your baths?"

She nods at each question, her head going up and down erratically with excitement. Her little self is practically puffing up with so much pride. I coo at her just a bit more, causing her to babble as she tries to form words. Sometimes I get mildly concerned about her lack of speech development- aside from basic words such as _daddy, me, get, here, come. Etc,_ she's not really saying as much as I think she should be. Most of the time she just uses her hands and makes us play some form of charades to find out what she's trying to say. With my patience and understanding, I can work with her easily, but I know Jazz gets a bit frustrated at the lost time and how long it takes for Ellie to even get one simple According to Jazz and the many books I read on parenting, this should be when Ellie is trying to form more words, talk, and do things for herself. Like getting dressed. Using the restroom. Etc. While Ellie is becoming more independent (enough that I spent a whole day crying about to Jazz about how she's growing up too fast and she's only two years old), there are a few concerns…. The main one being her use of Ghost Speak.

Ghost Speak is, basically, the universal language of the ghosts. It comes as naturally to us as humans to breathing. Living people tend to not understand the language, hearing it as groans and moans, sometimes even as wailing, screaming or noisy static. There's no thinking behind it. It just slips out. I occasionally slip into it when speaking, though I have gotten much better. Most of my notes tend to be in Ghost Speak, appearing as random scratches and scribbles to people according to Jazz, but to me it makes more than perfect sense.

And Ellie is no exception to this. Whenever she can't explain what she's trying to say using her hands and gesturing, she slips into the language. Her words are usually small whines that make sense to my ears as it is Ghost Speak. Not so much sense to Jazz.

Jazz gently handles Ellie so she can manage to be seen on screen, though it's clear from her expression she's a bit uncomfortable. I can never thank my sister enough for taking care of Ellie, but in my heart I know that Jazz isn't suited to take care of Ellie. I am. I need to be there for her. I need to take care of her. But a large part of doing so is going to college so I can get the money that I need to take care of her myself.

" _Daddy come home,"_ Ellie motions toward the area around her with a confused, slightly pouting expression.

My heart breaks hearing the pleading in her voice. She wants me home. I know she does and I don't blame her. She must miss me terribly. Just as much as I miss her. My expression softens as I place my hand over my heart,

"Don't you worry, Princess. Daddy will be home soon. But has to do things here first."

She cocks her head to the side,

" _King things?"_

I can't help but smile at that. Kids, especially ones her age, have a hard time telling real life from fantasy. It makes for a lot of _make believe_ games. One such game is that she is truly the princess of ghosts while I'm the king. Though she's not exactly wrong. Shaking my head, I give Ellie a smile,

"Yes. Very kingly things. But I promise I will be home soon. I promise you and I never break my promises. Love you, Princess."

She nods at me, grinning as she babbles about loving me too, before she wanders off again, leaving Jazz a bit relieved as she is free from Ellie's grasp. My older sister looks a bit thoughtful, causing me to wince just a bit. I hate that look. The same look that gets me in trouble a lot of the time because she gets an idea. My sister's ideas, unless they involve deep psychology or laws, tend to be bad ideas. Well not so much as bad ideas as just ideas that always tend to go wrong.

" _One day we will have to come up and visit you._ _Do you have any roommates I should be considered about? Any friends yet?"_

I shrug slightly, a bit flustered at her question. I know the tone behind her voice is a _any crushes yet_ type of tone. For a moment, I think of Tadashi. He's the most interesting so far. Easily the cutest too. But I just can't be in a relationship right now. I have to think of my daughter. She comes first. She is _my world._

"No," I whine a bit, "but I think I have made some friends. My roommate, who just goes by Wasabi around here, is really cool. He showed me around the campus and helped me a lot today. I met his friends too. Fred, Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Tadashi. Fred's a bit too fan boy, but seems to be a nice guy under all of that science fiction obsession. Honey Lemon is as sweet as her name. GoGo reminds me a lot of Sam, but she's pretty cool so far. And Tadashi is…. Cute. Interesting at least."

" _Hm-mm,_ " Jazz gets a slightly sly look on her face, _"Cute huh? I hope you're not thinking about dating anyone yet, Danny, it won't end well."_

Pft. Such faith she has in me. I wave her comment off a bit with a small snort,

"Just because I can't order, doesn't mean I'm not going to look at the menu. He's cute, sure, but I'm not looking for any relationships. Or hook-ups. Even if I was, he'd have to meet Ellie first. You know she's practically my wing man."

The sad truth. My little two year old daughter is my wing man. She decides who stays and who goes, who to like and who to hate, because especially since she has a sixth sense due to being half ghost, she has a very pure, untamed intuition. So far, she hasn't liked a single person I've brought home. There's only two people she liked that I dated that wasn't her mother (Sam). She liked Dash, back when he and I dated for a short time when we got over the whole bullying thing; he liked her as well and it was actually pretty cute. She also liked Valerie. I guess some things don't change even after she got de-aged.

Jazz rolls her eyes at me,

" _I know Danny, I know, I'm just reminding you…. It's getting pretty late so I'll let you go. Night, little brother."_

I barely even have time to tell her goodnight before the screen goes black. Leaning back in my chair with a small sigh, I run my fingers through my hair. God I miss them. I miss Ellie. I miss tucking her in at night and telling her bedtime stories. But I… I just have to do this. Shaking a bit to shake off all the thoughts, I look toward the clock. It is getting pretty late and while I would love to stay up to work on my blueprints, I need to get up early so I can set up my area of the lab.

So with a slightly irritated sigh, I put everything away safely before plopping down on my bed with a small _thud._

* * *

 _I stand in the middle of what was once my town. My home. Now it's just a battle ground. A field of fire. The remains of buildings lay scattered like scraps. The smell of blood and death are almost too much to even bare. Everywhere I look, it's just...death…. Ectoplasmic puddles that once were ghosts. Bodies of people I once knew as friends. Teachers. Exes. I have to physically bite back any bile when I see Dash, Sam and Valerie among the deceased. Tossed aside as if they are nothing._

 _I don't know how it got this bad so quick. Vlad suddenly got worse and before I knew it, he snapped. He lead an entire invasion at us, hellbent on taking my position as Ghost King. Apparently, he just received news that I am to be King since it was I who took down Pariah. I say 'take down', but I ended up destroying him after I locked him away, therefore securing my right as King. Not that I really wanted to be King. I just thought that leaving him locked away was a dumbass idea because he could always get free again. This year is the year that I officially took the title so now whomever defeats me can become King. No one is stupid enough to do that… No one except Vlad that is. And his plan is to take everyone I ever cared about to get to me._

 _I can feel my anger pulsing through me as my fists clench just at the thought._

 _An invasion of ghosts such as Ember, Skulker, Technus, and many others. Many, many others. Most I don't even know the name of. But all of them are bad. All of them causes this damage in just a month. Just a month. My parents tried their best to fight back and so did I and many others, but we could only hold them all off for so long. My powers got weakened. Drained. From just how often I was fighting, I didn't really get the chance to 'refill my batteries.' _

_We rallied together, formed a unit, a team. But it just…. It just didn't work. At first, it seemed like it did. We got information. Allies. Weapons. Ghost Shields. But in the end, it just wasn't enough and now… Now almost everyone is dead. Just… gone. Ashes to the flames._

 _But there are still some that are alive. Jazz. Danielle. They stand in the safest place I know. Behind me. I glance back behind me at the two people I have left in the world. Jazz. Danielle. They're in such bad shape. Jazz has cuts and scapes everywhere. Bandages over some of her wounds. Her skin is dark with dirt and blood. Her hair is just as bad. There's bags under her eyes. She looks… dead. As if she's going to collapse at any second. For all that I know, she very well could be on that edge. Danielle isn't in much better shape. Granted, she's in the best shape of all us because I refused to let anything happen to her. She's still dirty. Has dried blood. Her hair is practically a nest. There's a few bandages covering up her minor injuries that could still be pretty bad. She's only a year old after stabilizing deaged her. God she's so young. She's just crying as she clutches to Jazz, her little arms wiggling toward me as she wants to just be held by me. It kills me knowing that after this, I may not make it._

 _Jazz is looking at me with so much fear that it breaks my heart. Danielle has a similar look on her face that makes me gulp thickly as I stand a bit straighter. For her. For them. I have to do this. I have to end this. I can't take much more and neither can they. I just have to take Vlad out. It doesn't matter if I die/end or not. If it gets rid of him, it's worth it._

 _I'm only eighteen. And yet here I stand in the final battle. With myself, Jazz and Danielle on one side with the few allies we have left (sadly it doesn't include Clockwork, who refused to take part in the battle on either side, even if he does give us the offhand tip every now and then), facing the odds against Vlad and the other ghosts as they stand across from us. Vlad stands in the front, floating above the ground with a smirk that says he's convinced he's practically won this battle. But then he notices it. The crown._

 _It's my last resort with nothing to lose, I finally did something I'm not entirely proud of. I put on the Crown of Fire along with the Ring of Rage. Both amplify my powers so strongly that I can feel it running through my veins almost as strong as my anger. The ghostly artifacts are my weapons in war now. I can feel the power hunger of the previous King and a part of me just wants to keep wearing them. Never take them off. But I know that as soon as this battle is over, I will never don these two artifacts together again._

 _For a moment, I see fear in their eyes. In all the ghosts' eyes as they see the artifacts. Even in Vlad's eyes. He knows that the likelihood of me doing this were slim to none. That I'm too 'good' to do something as risky as this, to put myself in the mercy of power. That I have a firm belief that too much power is a good thing. But I guess he underestimated my love for my daughter. And Jazz for that matter._

 _As he's taken off guard, I make my move. With a large static-like cry as a signal, I motion for my allies to attack as I waste no time in attacking Vlad for myself. Each hit of mine is equal to several of his and are causing damage to him. My wounds are already healing from the power overload, though I know they'll leave scars. Each time I so much as breath, the power seems to grow. My vision is turning red and I have no doubts that my eyes are changing to that color as well, but at the moment I can't seem to think about it._

 _As the night grows old and our battle ranges on, I grow tired of just fighting him. I have to end it. Really end it. But as much as I want to end Vlad, kill him. I can't do that to Danielle. I can't let her see me actually kill someone. I can't teach her that vengeance and revenge are too strong to resist. I have to show mercy in the face of death to show her that grudges get no where. So as Vlad quivers on the ground, beaten and defeated in human form, his own allies and army pause in their battles to see their leader be defeated. I show him mercy in the form of not just killing him now. Mercy doesn't stop me from stepping on his leg with all my weight, my foot burning with ectoplasm that scorches his flesh as he screams._

" _Leave," my voice comes out distorted and dark "Leave and never return. If I see you again, I will kill you. If you meddle in my life, in Jazz's life, in Danielle's life, in anyone else's life,_ _I will kill you. I refuse to let you think you can take what you want that your actions do not have consequences. So leave now before I change my mind."  
_

 _I turn my foot harshly on his leg, causing him to scream once more before I finally get off of him. I can tell that I've damaged his leg beyond repair. Good. Let it be a reminder. For a moment, I stand there, glaring harshly at him as the ectoplasmic fire dances on my finger tips. A warning that if he doesn't move soon, I will be changing my mind about showing him mercy. He spits at my feet causing my eyes to narrow, but he wobbles away before one of his vultures carries him off to safety._

 _With him gone, I turn to my sister and my daughter as well as my allies. Frostbite. Wulf. Cujo. Princess Dora. Box Ghost. All of them stare at me with a seldom look. A look with underline fear. I straighten my shoulders and stand tall like a King, my head held high. All of those who fought with Vlad that still remain seem nervous and frightened as if I will end them. I'm almost tempted to. After a moment, I finally speak, my voice thunderous in Ghost Speak, sounding more like screeching noise,_

 _"Let it be known that treason against the King will not be tolerated."_

* * *

I wake up in a cold sweat, gasping for air as I clutch the bedsheets. My heart is pounding erratically in my chest as I try to regain control. Looking down briefly, I can see the ice forming on the sheets from my hands and it takes a minute before I regain enough control to get the ice to retreat. I can still remember that day so clearly. Kind of easy to when I have the same nightmare every night of that day.

Even now the idea of having that much power scares me to the core. I hate the idea of it. That I could easily become too powerful. Easily destroy everything. End everyone. Red eyes and white flaming hair come to my mind. Dan. I shiver a bit when I realize just how easy it would be to become him if I wear both the artifacts at once. And the idea of Dan, or me becoming Dan, with that much power is _down right horrifying._ How easy it would be with that power and that attitude to just destroy the world. Too easy for my liking.

Which is one of the many reasons I only wear the Ring of Rage- a warning to other ghosts that I am King. But the crown is taken care of. Safely stored away in what was once Pariah's Keep (now it's Phantom's Keep as it is my palace in the Ghost Zone). There's so much security there that I doubt anyone aside from myself could even get to it. I don't trust Fright Knight to protect it, but Clockwork has sworn to keep an eye on it himself so I don't have much concern for it. I finger the ring around my finger in thought, my breathes turning to heavy wheezes.

I hate thinking about this. I hate that it plagues me every night. I hate that I'm far from my little girl. The one person who can bring me back down to reality in moments like this. And I hate that I have to be so far from her where anything can happen to her, even with Cujo and Jazz protecting her. But I have to do this for her. I have to go on. I can feel the tears starting to slowly drip down my cheeks and I frantically wipe them away with the back of my hand. On the off chance that Wasabi wakes up, I don't want him to see him crying.

It's only my first night here after all and I'd hate if the questions started this early on.


	4. Chapter Three

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, because this is just the tip of the iceberg of Danny and Tadashi- the start of the storm so to say.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I'm practically thrilled to get to work at the lab. The fact that I got to the lab before even Wasabi (whose made it clear he sets his alarm to go off at five in the morning to get ready) speaks volumes of how excited I am. I'm shaking as I enter the lab, my arms full of bundles of blueprints, electronics and notebooks. Everything I need for my lab and experiments. Of course it helps that since I wasn't able to get to sleep last night, I called up Callaghan and he was able to bring me some more needed metal pieces. I can see said pieces laid up against the wall back in the area in my little space.

Man. The lab seems so empty without anyone here. Just… empty. Open. It's hard to believe that in a few hours this place will start filling up with people as they try their best to create their inventions of science. Shaking my head slightly, I don't waste any more time as I head straight toward my section of the lab. I set all the things I'm carrying and set them on the table. It seems like everything is here. Blueprints for the portal and other side inventions that won't take priority but are still needed. Tools. Notebooks. Stray metal. A small case that has vials of pure ectoplasm as well as other chemical components that will be needed for the various experiments and projects. A small case made of reinforced glass that holds the Blood Blossoms seeds. I make a note to get to work on a safe greenhouse for them. Though I wear my HAZMAT suit under my clothes for safety reasons- not just for the Blood Blossoms either.

The large slabs of metal laying against the wall would normally require some sort of equipment to even move from their sheer weight, but with my ghostly strength I don't have any doubts that I can move them easily. Not to mention that if I concentrate my blasts, I will be able to wield the meld to form the shape of the portal. 'Course I do have the tools to wield metal for whenever the others are here in order to avoid suspicion.

Taking off my leather jacket and shirt, the pitch black HAZMAT suit is revealed as I get ready to work. Thankfully I was at least able to get that _DP_ symbol off of it so no one sees it and makes any connections. I wear the gloves as well and instead of my regular shoes, I wear the boots to complete the outfit. But there's no way in _hell_ I'm taking off my pants. It's officially my second day and I _do not_ want to be made fun of so early in my time year for wearing the skin-tight-full-body-'spandex.'

Putting my palm against the wall, I send a small jolt of electricity to the cameras, taking them all out for now so I don't have to worry about getting caught on camera. With that taken care of, I get a devious smirk on my face as I start to work on putting the portal's shape up first. It will take the most time to do so I may as well get it done now. The ectoplasm blast forms easily in one hand as I use the other to hold the metal in place. I'm thinking of doing the classic hexagon shape like my parents did before me. Though I'm not going to put the whole _Fenton Ghost Portal_ sign on it. That'd just open a whole can of worms for teasing. Not that bullies really bother me, but I have a feeling that Wasabi and his friends would tease me mercilessly.

* * *

I only left for five minutes. Ten minutes top. Just before everyone got to the lab, I had left to get breakfast. I shouldn't have been gone long, but yet by the time I get back, I can see everyone whispering and pointing to the ' _strange metal contraption'_ in _'that new kid's lab.'_ It does look a bit strange I guess. I got 1/3 of the hexagon finished and the other pieces are either shaped and laying on the floor or laying against the wall untouched. Not to mention all of the other scraps of medal that are scattered in my area on and on my table.

Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo, Fred, and Tadashi are the only ones brave enough to at least observe it from across the yellow-black stripped line surrounding my area. After all, for all they know, it couldn't be safe to enter the area. They mutter to themselves and I catch small snips of stuff like _what's he up to? Do you know anything about this? Just what is this supposed to be?_ Whatever Tadashi said earned him a few gentle hits on the shoulder from Wasabi as the whispering gets more and more frantic. It's almost comical. Tadashi, Honey Lemon, and Wasabi seem skeptical of whatever it is I'm doing and I can see their skeptic looks from here. Gogo seems vaguely interested, but it's Fred whose screaming to himself as he bounces up and down in excitement, going on and on about _'an obvious portal'._

Finishing off the last bit of my breakfast, I walk calmly up behind them still sipping at the coffee in my hands. Not even Gogo notices that I'm standing just inches behind them, peering over their shoulders mockingly as I look them all over,

"Whatcha all looking at?"

My words startle them all. Wasabi lets out a slightly girly screech as he retreats backwards, Tadashi jumps but remains calm for the most part, but Fred is clutching to Honey Lemon with his life. His eyes are wide as he points a finger at me accusingly, though I can see the excitement still sparkling in his eyes,

"Casper! That's it! That's your new nickname! Because you are a _freaking ghost man._ How else would we not hear you?"

I quirk an eyebrow in amusement, but don't disagree with him even if it means everyone is going to be calling me Casper from now on. Anything is better than _Invsio-Bill._ I swear that name will haunt me. Pft. _Haunt me._ Haha. I snort slightly and just shake my head, walking past them and into my little lab causing them to share slightly confused looks as they eye my 'new' outfit. After all, it's not exactly something you see everyday- something that Dad and Mom used to go on rants about since it's 'practical' and 'fashionable.'

Now that I think about it, if I'm going to be spending a lot of time here in the lab working on this, that means wearing the HAZMAT almost on a daily basis. That's almost 24/7. Oh God. I'm becoming my parents. I'm wearing the HAZMAT, working on a Ghost Portal, and… I feel old. Next thing I know I'm going to be going on rants about fudge.

"What's with the spandex," GoGo asks bluntly, popping her bubble gum.

I set down my coffee and open up the case containing some of the glowing vials of pure ectoplasm. I hold up one such vial up and lightly tap its side,

"It's not spandex. It's a HAZMAT suit. Lots of this stuff, such as this, is toxic and dangerous to be exposed to direct skin. Could cause all sorts of things- mutations, diseases, etc."

Just to freak them out, I act as if I'm going to drop the vial, causing Wasabi to scream again as Tadashi looks at me with wide eyes. But as soon as they realize that I'm joking, all of their eyes are narrowed at me (aside from Fred whose laughing his ass off). I laugh a bit myself and just give them a goofy grin as I put the vial back in its place,

"Relax. Yes the stuff is dangerous, but I'm not stupid. And I see that look on your face Fred, you are not going to touch _any of these,_ got it?"

Fred grumbles under his breath a bit with his arms crossed, clearly not pleased that I won't let him touch the dangerous vials. Which can be very dangerous if used wrongly. I glance toward the others briefly. Wasabi is still confused. Honey Lemon is eying the vials and I can see the gears in her head turning as she mentally tries to guess what they are. GoGo looks a bit more uninterested, but curious. Tadashi's eyes are still pretty narrowed and his arms are crossed in a way that reminds me of Jazz and her 'stern talks.' I bet he's an older sibling. Only older siblings, especially protective ones, can pull off that _just what are you doing you dumbass_ look like that. It's almost as bad as the _I'm disappointed in you_ look that only a parent/parent figure can pull.

I roll my eyes at him, not very concerned at what he's thinking as I turn my attention to my lab. Sadly, they apparently aren't done with their 'interrogation.' Which sucks. Not that I don't mind the occasional question, but really, if they get me started on what I'm doing, I'm never going to shut up and I'm just going to be rambling about ghosts for the rest of the day when I really just want to work on this portal. Guess I get the whole _ghost rant_ thing from Dad.

"So just what requires you to use all of that dangerous chemicals," Tadashi asks, a bit too condescendingly in tone for me to really think he's genuinely curious, "Because I don't really think we're allowed to use such chemicals. It's pretty dangerous. Not just for you, but for everyone in the lab."

I turn on my heels, clicking my tongue slightly as I wave my finger at him,

"Ah-ha, but such things are perfectly legal and allowed because Callaghan himself said I can use this stuff. Apparently, my thesis and papers on dimensional theory alone were enough for him to want me to do anything it takes to succeed in making a portal to a different dimension. The ghost dimension actually. I call it the Zone, but most just say Ghost Zone or maybe even Limbo."

I gesture a bit with an _ehhh_ motion, a bit unsure of what word to use to refer to the Ghost Zone. But it's clear that any of those words would have grabbed their attention. Now they're all staring at me. The whole lab is. Not just Wasabi and the gang. Every. Single. Person. All their eyes are focused on me, blinking in uncertainty as if no one is sure that they really heard what just came from my mouth. I flush a bit, not really enjoying being the center of attention, and it's pretty clear a majority of them are laughing at me. I take a hesitant step back, my fists clenching and clenching at my sides as I try to control my breathing. A bit of me is a bit angered that they laugh at me, mock me, but another part of me knows that anger won't really solve anything.

Though Fred's expression calms me down a bit. The guy's down right hilarious as he stares at me with so much adoration as he shakes in excitement. I can practically see the stars in his eyes as he tries his best to contain himself. He's a time bomb though. And a ticking one at that. I give him about ten minutes before he explodes with everything he's clearly dying to say. Though I have a feeling I just made his day. Possibly his year.

"I… Guess it's possible," Honey Lemon finally speaks up, her voice a bit strained as she tries her best to keep positive, "I don't personally believe in them, but I guess it's possible… Right?"

Well. At least one person, aside from Fred who is still staring at me all star-eyed in adoration, is on my side. I guess that counts for something. GoGo doesn't seem as convinced as she just rolls her eyes, popping her bubble gum.

"Sure," GoGo scoffs, "I guess. Doesn't really matter to me either way."

I… I really shouldn't be surprised that GoGo is pretty indifferent about the whole thing. Though Wasabi is the one who seems geninuely freaked out as he waves his hands around, frantically putting his hands together in a _time out_ gesture,

"Whoa-whoa, hang on. Time out! _Ghosts_ ," Wasabi questions, his voice wavering, "As in _undead_ ghosts? As in _haunting/demonic/possession_ -type ghosts? And you're trying to make a portal to go to this…. Other world?"

His voice is cracking a bit and he's shaking a bit to himself, clearing frightened by the idea of ghosts and my face softens in sympathy. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I try my best to make him feel better. I mean, it's pretty clear Wasabi is easily shaken up. I'd hate to scare off my roommate just like a day or two after meeting him.

"If it makes you feel better, not all ghosts are bad," I try to reassure him, "I mean, my parents were ghost hunters so I actually had a lot of run in with ghosts. Are there bad ones? Yes. But not all of them. Most just want some company or friends, promise."

He still looks a bit shaken up and he doesn't really believe all of my words, but either way, what I say does comfort him a bit as he just mutters to himself and shakes his head. Thankfully Honey Lemon helps Wasabi calm down a bit away from us, whispering to him frantically and even I can't hear what they're saying.

"Don't worry Wasabi," Tadashi finally speaks up, his eyes firmly on me, "Ghosts don't exist. There's no scientific proof to prove them."

Oh. Oh boy. He does not want to go there. He really does not want to open that can of worms. There is no holding me back now because if there is one thing in this world I am passionate about, aside from my daughter, it is this. Ghosts. Ghost hunting. And debates like this are things I've grown up with- after all until the portal worked, Mom and Dad were always arguing with the neighbors and other scientists about it. I have _prepared_ myself for debates like this. Maybe it's the gleam in my eyes or the way I stand up straight up with my arms crossed, but either way, GoGo and Honey Lemon seem to know that something is about to _go down_ as they share slightly _oh boy_ looks before backing away a bit with Wasabi. Honey Lemon has to drag Fred away out of the battle zone.

I can practically hear the announcer's voice scream _TONIGHT ON SMACK DOWN_ as I stare down Tadashi. My eyes are narrowed into thin slits. It's so easy for him to look down on me since I took after Mom's more petite size (Jazz, however, took after Dad's towering height). But I know for a fact that I seem a lot bigger than I am as I stare him down, never wavering.

"Alright Tadashi," my voice is steel, "I'll bite. My whole town was haunted and I grew up with ghosts and ghost weaponry. Hell, I'm not just making this portal but also some anti-ghost weapons myself. But why are you so against them?"

I don't stand down. I don't waver. Instead I watch as he falters slightly before letting out a slightly frustrated groan,

"Because there's no proof. Scientifically, there is no reason for ghosts to exist."

I click my tongue a bit. Suddenly, he's not as cute as before. Granted, he's still pretty cute, but he's not _that_ cute. Actually he seems more like an ass now.

"I disagree. As a scientist, it's our job to pursue that which has not been pursued before. After all, what good are we if we already accept all there without questioning anything? And technically speaking, there's plenty of evidence to back up the belief of ghosts- Duncan MacDougall even 'weighed' souls. By weighing a body just before death and right after death, he found that each person lost roughly 21 grams when they died. For people to lose that, that means something had to have been lost right? Which suggests that that weight is a soul leaving a body. If that was back in, roughly, the early 1900s, imagine what we can find out now if we only go after it. I mean, we have hover boards, nanobots, and so much more. Why is ghosts such a stretch from that?"

The passion leaks in my voice, but my tone is simply factual and not pleading. It's not my job to convince him of ghosts- though being as pissed as I am, I'm likely to haunt him myself. But I will not let someone just _knock me down_ or _mock me. I will stand my ground._ Just like my parents did before me, I will defend my belief to the very end.

"That could be anything though," Tadashi argues, "I mean, what's to say that's not just gas leaving the body instead of a soul? Why does it have to be a soul?"

My argument cannot be tossed away that easily. That's just the tip of the iceberg. I stand a bit straighter, grinding my teeth ever so slightly.

"If energy cannot be created nor destroyed, then what happens to us when we die? Our souls are energy, are they not? So what happens? Acknowledging that they ascend or descend also acknowledges the possibility that they don't go anywhere, that they live in our realm. Or rather they live in a realm parallel to our own- after all, energy can be transferred and if there's such a lack of activity in our realm then they must go somewhere else."

Tadashi lets out another frustrated sigh and our oral argument continues. Our comments go back and forth, some in calmer tones, but with others our voices are raised. There's practically sparks of hatred forming between us. Either way, I can feel my anger raising steadily in a way that I'm sure my eyes are faintly glowing an eerie green by now. Though every is too focused on the argument to notice. But thankfully, before our 'discussion' can continue, Wasabi steps in to try to calm us down,

"Tadashi, man, chill down on the new guy. Danny, you've made your point so just back down."

He stands between us, his hands raised to keep Tadashi and I apart. Funny. Until now I didn't notice we had even stepped closer and closer, practically inches away from each other. For a moment, we just continue to stare each other down, neither of us wavering as my fists clench at my sides. Eventually, Tadashi is the first to move away with a small huff, turning away from me to head back to his own area which cause the others to sigh in relief that we aren't going to start a fist fight.

But even with his back to me, my eyes are still glaring daggers in his back. Because now Tadashi is officially my first 'enemy' here at the college. At least it's not long until everyone seems to forget the little spat and return to their own work. Well. Everyone that is except Fred. He's still lingering around me with an excited expression, clasping his hands together,

"Ghost weapons make Freddy very happy," he cheers, "Please let me help you! This is just so cool! Actual ghost weapons! Actual ghosts! It's like you're a superhero!"

I back away a bit from him, slightly unnerved. He's getting a bit too close to the truth for my liking and he's not even trying to find out my secret superhero identity. Yet. But here is right on track. I glance toward Wasabi and Honey Lemon as if they can help me, but they just shrug and mouth that it's my problem now.

Great.

First Tadashi- my first enemy on campus- and now my first fan. Not just any fan, which would have been 'fine', but a _fanboy._

Just freaking fantastic.

* * *

That night, I end up using skype to call up Jazz and Ellie like I have before. Though Ellie isn't on at first because apparently she's playing with another ghost and Cujo so it just leaves Jazz and I to talk a bit in private before Wasabi gets back. I'm sure he'll be coming into the room any time now that diner in the cafeteria is finishing up.

"I'm tell you Jazz," I continue my story about the day, "He is just so _insufferable!_ I mean, I used to think he was a pretty decent looking guy but then he opened his mouth and it just _poof- nothing._ I swear I'm going to haunt his ass myself."

Jazz rolls her eyes,

" _Danny, you can't just use your powers to get someone to agree with you….. Pretty decent looking, huh?"_

She gives me a sly smile. A type only a sister can give. I flush a bit and huff, crossing my arms over my chest. I know what she's thinking and it's nothing like that. It's just my second day here. I can't already have a crush on someone. Nevertheless some asshat by the name Tadashi.

"It's not like that Jazz," I stick my tongue out at her, "But if you don't mind, I would _love_ to talk to my beautiful daughter before the night's done so..."

I trail off, but she just huffs, giving me a quick _we'll talk about this later, you're not getting out of this conversation so easily_ before she gets up to leave. As she's gone getting Ellie, I notice Wasabi walk in. At the sight of me in the bed with the headphones and my phone up, he quirks an eyebrow causing me to mouth _skype call._ He nods a bit,

"Ah. Sorry. I'll be quiet then."

"Pft, it's fine," I wave off any of his concern, "No one's there right now because she left to get _someone_ for me. But- Oh wait, they're back. Talk later, Wasabi."

He barely even manages to get out an _okay_ before my attention is solemnly on the screen in front of me. God Ellie is just so cute. Has she gotten cuter since last night? I instantly brighten up at the sight of her, giving a chipper _hey babygirl_. Ellie is over the moon that I'm calling. I eagerly wave at her and coo a bit, causing her to giggle as she starts to eagerly babble about her day. Apparently Box Lunch and her are friends now- which is good, I guess, considering Box Ghost made me Box Lunch's Godfather. As to why he did that, I'm still not sure. Especially since we've never been necessarily close. But he was my ally in the war against Vlad so I suppose that can make anyone closer. As surprising as it is, Box Ghost is actually a pretty good fighter now that he's buffed out. Even if the eerie similarities between him and the him I saw when I fought Dan all those years are still throwing me for a loop.

I see Wasabi give me a small _who are you talking to_ look as he glances over in my direction from his side of the room. Thankfully with the headphones on to keep the conversation only one sided on my part, it's a bit more private. I just wave him off, giving him a small _maybe later_ before turning back to my daughter. I'm sure that my happy attitude is throwing Wasabi off considering how angry I was earlier today (or maybe it's just because I said _hey babygirl_ to whomever I'm talking to which no doubt got his attention).

To be honest, I'm still not over that. It's not that Tadashi just disagrees with me, I can live with that. But the fact that he had a sort of mocking, laughing tone a bit rubbed me the wrong way. Not to mention that he didn't even consider my side of the argument. At least I acknowledged some of his points and countered them. In the end, his argument was a bit one sided and bias, even if it was clear that most of the people in the lab (with the exception of Fred) seemed to think he had good point.

But all my anger is gone since I'm talking to my girl.

"Goodnight," I finally speak up as she finishes up her little tale, "Love you, Princess."

" _Night Daddy!"_

She giggles a bit before the skype call comes to an end. I can't help but smile a bit myself. Seeing her does at least make me feel better about today. I'm smiling a bit goofy as I take off my headphones and set my phone down beside me. I feel a bit giddy now after seeing my daughter. Knowing that she's doing okay and having a good time with Jazz is just always amazing.

"So...Who was that," Wasabi speaks up, his voice laced with confusion and a bit of speculation.

Glancing at him, I see a thoughtful, musing look on his face causing me to laugh a bit as I just grin at him,

"Well, obviously it was the love of my life."

I could have said it was a girlfriend (which is a huge lie). I could have even told him the truth and face whatever consequences that would have. But saying it was the love of my life isn't really a lie….. And personally, it's just fun making his head spin.


	5. Chapter Four

Thank you for so many favorites and follows and reviews! Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

~CWA

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOUR**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I haven't forgotten Tadashi and I's argument, but considering he has yet to say anything to me today, I'm pretty chill. Of course it helps that Tadashi's lab is a bit separate from the others and my music kind of drains out almost everything. The music even helps with Fred, who after ten minutes of trying to get my attention and failing finally left me alone to bother Wasabi and Honey Lemon about a possible serum that could turn him into a giant fire breathing lizard. As much as I hate to say it, I have to agree with Honey Lemon on the fact that such a serum isn't possible. It's science, I guess, but not exactly possible with what we have available to us now.

But now, after working a good portion of the day on the portal, I'm finally free to do something else for a while. I'm thinking maybe lunch. I think Wasabi mentioned a cafe nearby- Lucky Cat or something like that. I think I'll go there soon to at least try it out. I mean, it sounds pretty cool considering, from what I've overheard in others' conversations, it's a pretty decent place and pretty college-friendly as far as prices and hours go. A few people mentioned it has a Beat Poetry night as well. After looking it up on my phone, I found that it is _really_ close by and everything that they've said is true. Movie night on the first Friday of every month for kids (and another one for the first Saturday for teenagers/college students/adults), holiday events that's pretty diverse. Decent pricing. I really do have to go there some time.

Though I'm a man on mission first, before I tend to my stomach's hunger. I need to find the Dimensional Theory Club and according to what I heard, the one to talk to is Christine who hangs in the courtyard, has many piercings and a butterfly tattoo. She really shouldn't be that hard to find. My eyes scan the courtyard, taking in the fact that there is a lot more people than I expected that are out and about. Then again it is about lunch time. Maybe I should have thought this out better. My odds of finding her in the crowd are slim to none, even less so considering the fact she's probably gone to lunch.

Just as I think of giving up, I spot her. Standing in the shade underneath one of the trees a bit away from everyone else, there's a girl who fits the description. Piercings in her eyebrows, lining her ears, even her nose and lip are pierced from what I can see. Long blonde hair covers a good portion of her features, but I can still see the butterfly tattoo on her neck. Though I'm hesitant to approach her from the cigarette in her fingers and the way she locks eyes with me and cocks her eyebrow. But her aura conveys nothing but happiness and friendliness. Goes to show you can't judge anyone from how they look. Hell, even I look tough and mean when I'm really not mean at all.

There's three other people with her and judging from the way they're exchanging notebooks and frantic conversation, I must have found the rest of the Dimensional Theory Club too. One's a girl who reminds me a bit of a 1970s hippie with long red hair, freckles _everywhere,_ a more slender, petite frame hidden by flowing clothes and her legs are covered with a soft stubble- not that that bothers me. Her aura gives off a more flirtatious attitude and free spirit. The other is male with darker skin and his hair sticking out from a dark brown beanie. He looks a bit… extravagant. Long sweater that goes to his knees. Bright yellow pants. Fashionable. I suppose. His aura is more persevered and soft, suggesting that's he's probably more introverted and quiet. The final person is a Chinese girl in an off white (or light gray) dress with a blue shirt underneath to cover anything the low neckline of the dress would reveal and a matching bow around the waist. Her aura is a bit more demanding, independent and in charge, but like the redhead, there's a flirtatious attitude in her aura.

Christine, or who I assume is Christine, never breaks eye contact with me as I make my way toward the group. I can feel her eyes glancing me over before she cracks a smile and gives me a nod of greeting as I reach them.

"Hey," her voice is a bit deep and monotone, "You're one of the newbies in the science lab, right?"

I resit the urge to rub my neck and instead stick my hand out for a handshake. Almost like as if a switch has gone off in her head, her face brightens up instantly as she takes my hand in her free one, shaking it eagerly as I introduce myself,

"Yeah. Danny Fenton, nice to meet you. You're Christine Bachmeier? Leader of the Dimension Theory Club?"

She snorts as she takes her hand away, shaking her head in amusement,

"Leader sounds a bit dramatic, I just take care of those two knuckleheads," she jabs a thumb toward the other two people with us, "But yeah. That's me. And that's Jamie, Ai and Diego."

Each of them give me a small nod or in Jamie's case a friendly wave. Ai is eying me a bit with a small smirk on her lips. I shift a bit under her gaze, a tad uncomfortable with how she's practically undressing me with her eyes. She doesn't stop until Jamie elbows her, but even then she looks at me through the corner of her eyes, batting her eyelashes. I shift a bit more and try to not look her in the eyes. I have a feeling if I make eye contact with her, I'm just going to get sucked in with no escape. Like a fly in a spider's web. She is a rather attractive woman after all.

Christine continues to speak though, as if she's oblivious to what's happening around her. Or perhaps she's ignoring it. Either way, the muffled, covered up chuckle from Diego as she rambles on does go noticed by me. Obviously she tends to babble a lot then if he finds it funny.

"-And before you ask, yeah, this is the entire club. We're not exactly that popular since dimensional theories isn't really the thing a lot of people go for, especially at a college like this when there's so many more physical things you can invest your time into, but I don't think they really understand just how much dimensional theories can really open _doors._ I mean really, before you can invent anything, you have theories and you do research. We're only in the theory stage, but the fact that one day we, or people who are interested in dimensional theories, could invent a dimensional portal? Pretty amazing I think."

The more she speaks, the more a small German accent comes and goes, fading in and out as she talks. In a way, her rambling reminds me of Jazs. It's filled with so much passion, such a pure love for the subject. Looks like I found my people. A small devious grin spreads on my face. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

"-I have to admit though, you seem pretty cool. Nice look. Nice smile. Ai seems to think so too, but if she makes a move you don't like, don't worry, she'll back off. She's cool like that-"

She goes to say more but it's Diego who speaks up this time, his voice a bit off from laughing as he cuts her off,

"Christine. You're babbling again. Don't scare him off like you did the last one."

"Not my fault that she apparently thought I was scary," Christine huffs, "….I'm not scary, am I? Danny what do you think?"

I grin a bit at her,

"You're absolutely terrifying."

Obviously I'm kidding. It's clear that they all know that as they grin at my answer. Except for Christine. She pouts at me briefly, feigning hurt before she busts into a large carefree grin. Putting her arm around my shoulders, she pulls me into a sort of two-person-huddle.

"You know what, Danny boy? I like you. You're funny."

"-And he's cute too," Ai pitches in, a sly smile on her face, causing me to blush slightly as I laugh a bit nervously.

"She doesn't bite," Jamie chimes, "….Much."

Her comment causes Ai to nudge her a bit harshly, a mildly irritated look on her face. In a way, they all remind me of my old friends, though I know they are their own people. But I totally know in my heart that these guys are going to by my gang. My group. My friends. I just really hope it

 _Just don't mess it up Fenton….._

* * *

….I messed it up. Or rather Tadashi messed it all up for me. It was all going well until I spotted Tadashi and made a face at him. Next thing I know, he and I are arguing over the exist of ghosts (again) and… Well…. The club wasn't exactly 'pleased' about our argument. Not that they agreed or disagreed with either one of us, but the fact that I was arguing so passionately (and Ai noticed my glowing green eyes which kind of creeped everyone out, but thankfully Tadashi didn't notice in the heat of our argument)…. Well let's just say that apparently Jamie really hates extreme controversies/fights and for such a peaceful looking person, she has a killer grip. My ear hurts just thinking about it. The rest of them were pretty put off by the whole encounter (it doesn't help that Tadashi is usually known around campus as a good guy apparently) and I have a feeling I won't be hearing back from any of them (aside from Ai, who didn't even hesitate to still write her number on her my hand with a suggestive wink- I don't think I've ever been so flustered in my life).

I let out a small frustrated sigh. I really wanted in and they all seemed like such nice people. We all seemed to click until Tadashi ruined it all. I guess I did have some part in it, but I just can't help defending myself when he just seems so… _infuriating._ I clench my fists at my sides as I walk down the street toward the cafe for lunch. Maybe visiting this place that I've been meaning to will make me feel better.

The _Lucky Cat Cafe_ sign is pretty cute when I first spot it. I can't help but think that Ellie would like this place. Whenever she and Jazz visit, _if_ they ever visit, I already know that I'm going to have to bring Ellie here. She adores cats. Dogs. Any animal really. Which I guess can cause some minor problems when she befriends any ghostly creature, some of which don't even vaguely resemble any sort of living creature I've seen. Cujo is still her favorite though and I don't blame her. The dog is the ghost of a guard dog after all so it'll protect her as well as be fun company for her. Probably a pet for life (afterlife?).

Shaking my head slightly, trying to shake off any lingering anger I have, I enter the cafe. It's a bit smaller than I thought it would be, but pretty cute. It doesn't seem too busy, which is a good thing I suppose. There's a small staircase in the back which suggests that the owner probably lives up there. A rather smart set up actually. Pretty cool. I look around for a moment, but jump slightly when I feel something rub against my leg. It's a cat. A rather fat, happy looking cat that's purring up a storm. Pretty cute.

I can't help but give the cat a small smile as I kneel down to pet it. I always have liked cats a bit better than dogs. Not to mention that, unlike most living dogs, cats don't seem to mind the whole undead thing. A lot of animals seem to pick up on the fact that I'm partly undead, or undead, and it tends to make them aggressive or scared of me. Animals like dogs and canine-related animals don't really like me. Cats, certain breeds of birds (such as ravens, crows, and owls), certain breeds of lizards, and bats tend to like me more than the average person though. Most even go as far as doing whatever I say to them (if I speak in Ghost Speak). I guess it's true that certain animals really are connected to the spirit world. I make a mental note to do more research on that later. It'd make for some interesting theories and (safe) experiments.

"Mochi! You know you can't just haress customers anymore! Some people have allergies, you know!"

I'm not sure what amuses me more. The fact that the woman who comes waltzing over speaking in a higher, excited pitch tone of voice is speaking as if the cat understands her, or the fact that this 'Mochi' appears to care less what this woman says as he (or she) continues to purr against me and look up at me with big, pleading eyes. After a second of hesitation, I pick up the rather heavy cat and it instantly just collapses into a loving puddle in my arms causing me to laugh a bit before looking back up at the woman.

She blinks a bit in confusion at me and Mochi, eying Mochi with a bit of a weird expression, before she snaps out of it and gives me a warm smile,

"Hello! You must be new here, I don't think I've seen you around. I'm Cass, owner of this fine establishment and I can't apologize enough for the cat. He doesn't seem to understand boundaries, but he's normally not so friendly with strangers."

"Danny," I introduce myself as I hand the cat to her, despite the cat's minor protests at the exchange, "And it's fine, really. I really love cats anyway so…"

I shrug a bit as I smile at her, a bit uncertain as to what to say. She seems pretty nice. A friendly aura, though a bit stressed. Something in her face seems a bit familiar, but I can't really place it. She's a bit older, but still rather young as she tries to contain the cat in her arms. Apparently Mochi really wants to come back to me. Guess I made a new friend. Even if Cass seems pretty stressed and unsure how to handle Mochi's strange new attachment to me. After a second, Mochi finally just gives up and jumps free of Cass' arms in favor of heading up the stairs. Strange cat. I like it.

Cass huffs a bit, shaking her head before looking back at me,

"I'm still pretty sorry about that…. Danny huh? You look like my nephew's age, any chance you go to SFIT? He goes there, such a genius really, and so is my other nephew though he's only about fourteen and he's about to graduate high school and everything!"

She lets out a small excited 'scream' as she goes on to talk about her nephews, who are apparently geniuses. For a brief moment, I wonder who her nephew is at the college, maybe it's someone I know? But it's such a huge college that I doubt it. Though the fourteen year old nephew sounds pretty impressive- he really must be a genius if he's already about to graduate high school. She speaks with such a prideful tone that I can't help but smile a bit in nostalgia. Something about her tone in voice reminds me of Mom and how she would speak about me after she found out I was Phantom (which happened during the Battle, possibly just before it started). She, and Dad for that matter, were so proud that I was a hero. That I took charge and lead everyone during the Battle. They, even with me being half ghost, were so damn proud. Blinking the tears away, I try to refocus myself back on the conversation at hand.

"Uh yeah," I gulp a bit, trying to regain myself, as I give her a shaky smile, "I'm a student at SFIT."

She looks like she's about to give me another long-winded, excited speech about SFIT and her nephews but stops short as she locks eyes with me. She seems to notice the look in my eyes and her expression softens as she calms herself down. Giving me a soft smile, she gestures for me to take a seat near the counter,

"Come on, you look like you need a Wake Me Up Special- that's pretty popular with the college students, by the way, and I can see why because this is a drink that will keep you up _for days,_ no joke! And it's on the house this time."

"Are you sure," I hesitantly speak up, "Because I will gladly pay-"

"-Not gonna happen," she quickly dismisses the idea as I sit down, "You're a new customer after all."

I let out a small sigh, knowing that arguing with her isn't going to get me anywhere. I watch half-heartily as she fixes the drink, humming a bit to herself as she practically dances behind the counter. For someone whose a bit on the older side, probably early forties, she seems pretty young a heart. It's… refreshing. With someone like her owning the place, I can see why so many people are coming here.

"So," Cass says as she hands me the drink, "Want to tell me your troubles? You look pretty out there and I may not be a bartender, but I listen."

She makes a funny face and gestures her hands dramatically in a way that causes me to laugh a bit, shaking my shoulders with each laugh. I don't just tell my troubles to a complete stranger. I don't tell anyone all of my troubles at all. But her aura is so maternal in a way it's hard to not see her as a parent figure. A trusting figure.

"It's… It's just there's a kid at the college who seems to have it out for me. Every chance he gets, he argues with me about my beliefs and my project. It's rough… I can't help but defend myself. Not like 'explain myself to him', more like the 'I'm not just going to let him talk bad about me' way. After all, if I just sat back and let him talk all over me, degrading me, then what example am I setting for my daughter?"

The last sentence wasn't meant to come out, but it just slips out as if it's the most natural thing in the world. So much for no one knowing about Ellie. Ah well. It's pretty clear from Cass' expression that she harbors no ill intent or judgment as she just nods with a sort of whimsical expression on her face.

"How old is she?"

Her voice is soft, as if she's reminiscing on something. Ten to one it's the nephews she spoke about. For an aunt to be that attached, it's likely that's she's very close to them. Possibly even had a part in raising them. So it's likely that she's just remembering when her nephews were that age. Or maybe she has kids of her own, who knows? Either way I know that there's no turning back on this discussion. I've been aching to tell someone about Ellie, to be the proud father I am and brag about her. And this may be the only chance I get to really talk about her.

After taking a sip of the drink, which is just as strong as the name implies because it has awaken the dead (get it?), I set the drink down and reach into my pocket to dig out my wallet. After a second, I'm able to show her the picture of Ellie that's tapped onto my wallet. It shows her just before I left for San Fransokyo. She's grinning up at the camera with twinkling eyes, her long raven hair pulled back into two frilly ponytails.

"She just turned two," I explain, my voice laced with excitement and pride, "Cute as a button. She has the biggest imagination and just loves playing games. She loves to pretend she's a warrior princess, if you can believe it. Has the cutest fake sword and princess dress too, just looks absolutely adorable on her. And she's starting to show an interest in the stuff in like astronomy. We used to go out and watch the stars late at night and I'd tell her the constellations. She doesn't speak very well yet and she's a bit slow developing for someone her age, but she's trying her best and I can't be prouder. I left her with my sister in New York while I'm here studying to get a degree. I hope that if I can make it, I'll be able to provide a better life for her. She deserves the best and I just want to be able to give her that."

Cass gives me a smile, her eyes twinkling. It's clear from the way I say _I left her with my sister_ that the mother isn't involved and I'm glad that Cass shows no signs of asking about the mother. It was hard enough when Sam and I tried to raise Ellie despite us being broken up already. Then it just got harder from there when we dated other people and then… Well… She's not here anymore so it doesn't matter. My hands shake a bit at the memories, but I'm able to manage to keep smiling at Cass as I show off Ellie's picture.

"With a father like you, I'm sure she already has the best."

It's spoken with such a genuine tone that I can't help but look a bit startled. Not to mention how the comment humbles me as I grin a bit more sheepishly, pulling back slightly suddenly a bit more cautious of my over enthusiastic behavior. She laughs at the small faint blush that I can feel on my cheeks,

"Don't get so flustered! There's no shame in being a good parent! I mean, I may not be the best example for my boys all the time, but I do try my best. Though I still think I should have picked up that book on parenting..."

She trails off slightly, musing a bit to herself.

"I have a book on parenting," I offer, "I can always bring it by if you want."

She crinkles her nose at the suggestion before waving it off,

"Nah! My nephews will be fine and I… I have to get back to work, I've been talking too much and without my nephews here to help at the moment, I'm a bit overwhelmed so I better go..."

She trails off again, eying the other customers in the cafe with a slightly stressed out expression. Personally, I just can't believe she has to handle all of this on her own when her nephews aren't here to help out. As she runs off to take care of a spill that another customer's had, I can't stop myself from calling out to her.

"If you ever need any help, just let me know!"

"Thanks, I'll take it under advisement!"

Something tells me that she's still going to try to do it all herself. For a moment, I just sit there, musing to myself before I finally just inwardly curse. I quickly gulp down the rest of the drink, barely savoring the taste. Then, I stand and quickly head toward Cass to give her a hand.

Damn my heroic streak.


	6. Chapter Five

**A different point of view is... different to write. And a bit harder, hence the shortness of it (roughly just over 2,000 words). My apologies and I'm practically beating myself up I didn't make it at least 3,000. But it's better than nothing I guess. I just had to give some insight as to what the others are thinking about Danny.**

 **What happened with Ai and Danny will be explained next chapter, promise, as well as why Danny failed to realize a certain detail about Ai (mentioned at the end).**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIVE**

* * *

 _ **Two weeks later**_

 _ **Wasabi's Point of View**_

Two full weeks of having Danny has a roommate and I still don't know that much about the guy. I mean, I know a bit. I know he's a workaholic, doesn't get enough sleep, practically lives on coffee, leaves to go somewhere for lunch nearly every day, his family apparently died, he still has an older sister, he's from New York, and video chats with who appears to be his girlfriend every night. I know more than the others at least, but I still can't, for the life of me, know things about Danny that are actually important. Like what he plans on doing after college. What his favorite food is. When his birthday is. Those are things that I like to know about my friends and I do consider him a friend. I hope he considers me one too. It seems like he does. Every once in a while, he'll bring me coffee when he gets back from wherever he goes for lunch. Unlike my last roommate, he doesn't mess with my things or put something out of place. He seems to stick to his side of the room, doesn't mess with the closet, and tries to keep it sort of clean.

In my defense, I have tried to talk to him, but he's usually pretty busy. He always seems to be working on his project (because there's no way I'm actually going to call it what it is) or just working on something. Every night, he stays up later than me so I don't know what time he ends up going to bed. If he does at all. But he stays up so late working on what look like to be blueprints for something- probably for his project, but when I've glanced over a few times, it didn't seem to be for that. It looked almost like a helmet of some sort that he's working on.

Not to mention how Danny is a bit...strange. There's just something off about him that I can't really place. Like how he's so quiet and never seems to make any sounds when he walks or even breathes. His eyes always seem to be open and I've rarely even seen him blink. Not to mention how he always seems to manage to just disappear whenever I look for him. Kinda gives Fred's nickname for him a whole new meaning. It just gives me some bad vibes sometimes. It doesn't change the fact that, aside from his little fight with Tadashi, Danny seems like a pretty good, decent guy.

Shaking those thoughts out of my head, I try to turn my focus back on my own project in the lab. Danny isn't here yet for once. Which is a bit strange. But I'm not going to worry too much about it. It's not my job to look after the guy. I'm not his mother.

"-All I'm saying is he's obviously delusional. I mean, he's a nice guy, really, but how can he be so confident that this so called project of his is going to work? Isn't a portal to some sort of Limbo a bit… hard to believe?"

I click my tongue slightly, knowing exactly who Tadashi is talking about. Looking up, I can't help but add into the conversation he's having with Honey Lemon and GoGo.

"He's a nice guy and that's all that matters, isn't it? You and him have it out for each other, so doesn't that make your comment a bit bias?"

Tadashi runs his fingers through his hair, taking off his cap to do so,

"I… You have a point, Wasabi. I don't mean to sound so cruel, but a portal to some sort of Ghost world is pretty hard to swallow, don't you think?"

"Makes you wonder why he's so sure that it's gonna work," GoGo pitches in, blowing her bubble gum.

She rolls her eyes, unconvinced. I muse a bit for a moment at her words. I think back to when I first met Danny. He told me how his parents. I sober up a bit as I muse about that. It's… possible that Danny's strong belief in ghosts is connected to his parents. I think he said that they used to be ghost hunters and if they died…. It's not that uncommon for people to do strange things to cope with their grief. Or maybe it's something else entirely.

"We don't know that much about him," Honey Lemon hesitantly adds in, "Do we even know anything about him beside his obviously strong belief in supernatural?"

That's a bit strange. Honey Lemon doesn't really join in gossip that often. I don't think I ever hear her gossip so… openly… about anyone. But I can't really blame her. Danny is a pretty… mysterious guy. There's just something about him I guess. Makes people want to know everything about him.

"Paranormal," Fred pitches in, "Paranormal, not supernatural."

I roll my eyes slightly. Of course Fred knows the exact difference between the paranormal and supernatural. I really should have expected that to be honest. If anyone knows anything about the weird and strange, it's him. And Danny probably.

"What do you know, Wasabi," Tadashi asks, "Your his roommate after all."

I shrug my shoulders, waving my hands a bit,

"I don't know that much either. I know he's from New York. He has a sister there. Possibly a girlfriend too because he's always video chatting every night- says it's the love of his life or something like that."

"-That's cute," Honey cuts in with a small wistful smile, "It's nice that he's so dedicated to her then. But I wonder why he's never mentioned her."

I've always wondered that too. Danny seems to be a more open person, even if he does keep his secrets.

"Well, it's not like we've been the friendliest bunch with Mr. Sour over there," GoGo jabs her thumb toward Tadashi, who makes a small pouting face at the nickname.

His reaction causes us all to share a small laugh before I continued.

"-When I first met Danny though he told me his parents died a few years ago. Don't know the how or why and I didn't ask."

I shake my head slightly with a small staggered sigh. To be honest, I didn't ask because I didn't want to know. It's his business after all. Not to mention that if it only happened a few years ago, it may still be fresh. An opened wound. Or worse, a healing wound that I wouldn't want to open. At least Tadashi has at least seven to eight years to help himself heal over his own parents death.

Honey Lemon and GoGo share a sympathetic, saddened look. Even Fred seems to be hesitating, opening and closing his mouth with a musing expression on his face. I glance briefly toward Tadashi. It seems the news of Danny's parents has sobered him up a little as his eyes gloss over, his posture a bit more stiff and hesitant. As if he doesn't know what to say or how to apologize for how douchy he's been acting. Really. The guy's one of the nicest men I know and this is the worst I've ever seen him act _ever._

But he's saved from speaking at all by the sound of someone hitting the wall outside the lab. You'd think that with it being a lab there'd be sound proof walls. You'd also be wrong. I quirk an eyebrow and share a slightly confused look with the others. While it's not exactly sound proof, you'd still have to be pretty loud to be heard. I wonder just who it is that's…. Wait. No. Nevermind. It's probably Danny. I can feel it in my gut.

Sure enough, Danny practically storms in, his hair a mess and his eyes glazed over. He looks like he just ran a marathon. He's all sweaty and disheveled. I get the brief urge to just walk over there and fix him up so he doesn't look so… messy.

"Who'd you piss off," GoGo asks bluntly, causing Danny's eyes to snap to her,

"I… I didn't… I… Don't tell _her_ where I am. She's… She's freaking hormone driven and wild. I can't take it! I called her and she just..."

He babbles on for a moment, not making too much sense. I wonder who he's talking about. Obviously not his girlfriend from the way he's talking, not to mention if his girlfriend is back in New York it's unlikely she's here. Though it's clear from everyone's expression that none of us know who he's talking about. Just whose _hormone driven and wild?_ I quick an eyebrow and eye him again, my mind going to a different place. He comes in here, looking messy as he does, babbling about a woman….

Oh. Hell. No.

He better not be cheating on that poor girlfriend of his. Sharing a look with the others, they seem to come to the same conclusion I have as they all stiffen and glare slightly at Danny, not pleased with him at all. He seems oblivious to our glares as he runs to GoGo desperately, his hands clasped in a pleading position. With him closer to us, I can see the faint lip stick marks on his neck and his cheek as well as the faint nail marks near his shoulder blades.

GoGo looks ready to punch him. Even Honey Lemon looks visibly upset and Fred is just giving his _I'm disappointed in you_ look that's almost comical. Tadashi looks the most upset, physically shaking as his eyes blaze with anger.

"Please, please, hide me, I beg you," Danny's voice is laced with desperation.

"You're having some issues with some girl you just hooked up with that's not your girlfriend? You're lucky I'm not punching you."

GoGo doesn't sugarcoat it as she stands stiff, a small snarl on her face as she glares at him. Danny's eyes go wide and frantic as he looks at her in surprise.

"M-My what? I d-don't have a- please just hide me! I swear I'm a loyal guy and I don't have a girlfriend, I just told that to Wasabi to mess with him when I'm video chatting my sister because technically, she and my- she is the only family I have left so of course they're the loves of my life and I just…. Please! I'm desperate!"

I stare blankly at him, not sure what should surprise me more. The fact that he's hiding from a girl whose trying to hook up with him and can't seem to shake her off his trail like he does everyone else. Or the fact that he lied to me. I crinkle my nose a bit going over that information. Technically he never really lied. He did tell me it was just the love of his life so he never truly said it was a girlfriend. At everyone's looks, I just shrug at them, signaling that _yeah, he's right I guess._

Danny just clutches to GoGo, his head buried toward the ground as he pleads with her to hide him. He probably knows that pleading with the others won't do him any good- Honey Lemon would panic, Fred would suggest hiding in a potted plant, Takashi wouldn't help at all, and I'd be too worried to help him myself. GoGo is his best bet. And he seems to pass whatever test she's giving him as she finally just nods and quickly shoves him behind one of the lab tables, ducking him behind it so that the table's cloth would cover him. Why he didn't think to hide there in the first place, I don't know.

It's only a second after he's hidden does a girl burst through, her eyes frantic and pleaded, her lipstick smeared a bit as she glances over the room. I think I know her from the Dimensional Theory Club. Ai, I think. But I'm not too sure. She narrows her eyes at us as she crosses her arms, her lips thinning into a small frown.

"Where did he go? We hooked up and he just kind of spaced out and freaked. I've been following him all day for an explanation and I _know_ he came in here. It's kind of hard to hide from a psychic after all."

A...psychic? It figures that Danny, the biggest believer of the paranormal I know, managed to hook up with a psychic.


	7. Chapter Six

**Ah, I meant to update sooner, but I just had so much trouble writing this chapter. Not just with inspiration but with time. School's started up again and that on top of work has left me with little to no free time, but don't worry, I'm not abandoning this story, I have put way too much hope into it to give up!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIX**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

In my defense, I didn't know Ai was a psychic. Her aura's so concentrated on her more independent streak that I just didn't notice the small fluctuations in it. Not until it was too late anyway. I sigh deeply and rub my temples, trying to make the growing headache go away, but it just won't seem to leave. I've taken pain killers, drank tea, meditated. I've done everything I can. It's like some sort of brain eating virus that's just not going to die. I'm half tempted to call up Jazz just to see if maybe her psychological-do-dads may help. But if I do that, then I'll never hear the end of it. Besides Jazz, while I do love her, can't really keep her mouth shut.

I don't think it helps that I can't seem to shake off all the memories from yesterday. After Ai had left the lab, I was left being interrogated from the others. Mostly Tadashi and Honey Lemon. Apparently they have yet to realize that I have a more mischievous streak and couldn't understand why I would lead Wasabi on like that. They didn't shut up until Wasabi pointed out that I technically didn't lie. But now I know that they're going to be bugging about Ai, even if I made it clear I don't have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Maybe I could date her. Eventually. If we ever talk again and hit if off, as unlikely as it seems. But after yesterday, it's going to take some time before I can so much as look at her.

But that's not what bothers me the most. No what bothers me is Ai. She's a psychic. She's someone I can't hide from easily, powerful as I may be sometimes. My ghostly half is just _screaming_ at me that she's _one of us, one of us._ Apparently ghosts are naturally attracted to psychics. I have a few theories about why that is, but most are just theoretical with no solid evidence. For example, ghosts always want to be heard and psychics throughout history, no matter who they are, are usually the only ones who have been known to see us. Especially the Low Keys and other low powered ghosts. Not to mention the ancient ghosts who couldn't speak in the first place and were almost always invisible.

Either way, that natural attraction to Ai is what started that whole mess with her. I don't mind a hook up, though I'm usually more of a commitment type of person. So when she threw herself at me, I was all too willing and just gave in to what _both_ my halves were telling me. But then her aura… its color radiated in her eyes, turning it a fierce purple to my eyes…. And I lost it.

* * *

 _The pressure of her lips on mine causes my last nerve of restraint to snap. It's like nothing else is there at all. Nothing but me and here as we shove our way into a nearby empty janitor closet. As cliché as it is. I would have laughed at it if I wasn't so focused on her. To my surprise, the closet is at least big enough to fit the both of us comfortably as she pulls and tugs on my jacket, never breaking the kiss. I don't open my eyes except for a few breath moments to make sure my foot isn't stuck in a bucket. I still remember when that happened back in high school. Everyone made fun of me for it for weeks. While the teasing never really bothered me, it just got really annoying really fast. It was one of the few times my temper really flared._

 _Her arms drape around my neck; my jacket is almost entirely off that I suppose she just gave up to focus more on the kiss. I like to think that I am a rather good kisser, but her kiss… Well, she's a lot more than just simply a 'good kisser.' It's like a drug that's just fueling up my veins with electricity. It's enchanting. Seducing. Even my ghost half enjoys this, craving it. Wanting it. I can feel the growl forming in the back of my throat. I'm not sure which side of me causes it, but it doesn't really matter._

 _I'd be lying if I said things didn't escalate, though it blurs all together into my mind. But what I do know is that when I open my eyes, I'm met with a part of her aura I never noticed. The faint swirls of purple pulsate and dominate the rest of her aura. Purple. Great. Why didn't I notice that before? She's a fucking psychic. Just my freakin' luck. But there's no turning back now as I watch her aura discretely, absently kissing at her. Small wisps of it try to mend with my own aura. It doesn't work. Auras don't just connect. For that to happen, there has to be a legitimate bond between two people- whether it be a family bond, a strong friendship, or a life partner. It's a way to draw energy from each other and have a more deep connection with someone. In the case of life partners, however, the auras mend to a deeper level that connects the two people's emotions and feelings as well. It's partly why they say if you're deep enough in love, you always know when something is wrong with your significant other. In my life, I've only ever connected to one person on that deep of a level- Dash. Valerie and I didn't date long enough for something strong to form and Sam and I's connection remained that of a friend's even if we were together for a considerable time._

 _But then I see Ai's eyes. The glow of her aura reflects in the irises of her eyes, creating a dark violet tint. Just swirls that seem to go on forever. I'm lost in them. She looks at me a bit confused and mutters something, probably about why I stopped, but I can't really hear her. Her voice just blurs. All I can see is the purple in her eyes that take me back to a simpler time._

 _All of a sudden it's like I'm fourteen again. Having a fake out make out as my first kiss with a Gothic vegetarian, the same girl who I had a big crush on. Holding hands with her. Unsure how to do anything else aside from a small kiss when we do finally start dating. Then I'm fifteen. We spend the night under the stars and our arms around each other like nothing else exists._

 _Then I'm lost in the abyss of memories that drag my very heart to the ground. I'm sixteen. We break up when she cheats on me- with who I may never know- and I date Dash. Every time I look in her eyes, there's regret, contentment, and anger. We end up fighting again every time we end up in the same room together. I'm seventeen. The war with Vlad begins and my best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-ex-turned-enemy has turned into my ally. We find out about Ellie. We try to take care of her together the best we can, even if things are strained._

 _All I can see is those purple eyes. Her eyes. Sam's eyes. Those wide, frightened eyes that stared at me as she screamed during the end of the war. Or at least, what was the end for her._

 _Finally, I just can't take it anymore. I have no idea how long I stood there, my hands just resting on her sides as I stared blankly at her, before I tore myself away from her and burst into a run out of the room. I just have to get away. I need to away from Sam. I need a moment to collect myself, relax._

 _My mind's in a frenzy as my feet have a mind of their own, gliding over the floor as if I'm hovering over it slightly. Maybe I am. I don't really know for sure. Everything's just passing by too quickly. My heart's beating quickly and my body feels hot and uneasy. What I do know is that hiding from Ai is not going to be easy. Psychics can always see ghosts, whether they are invisible or not. Which means I can't pull my normal disappearing act or fade through a solid wall because she would see me._

 _But there's one place I can think of that may be able to hide me-_ _the lab._

* * *

At this point, I really wish I could get drunk. I've tried it before, but it usually takes an insane amount of alcohol to reach the level of intoxication that I need now. Maybe I could grab one beer and just drip some ectoplasm or something into it so it's more compatible with my ghostly DNA. No. Better not do that. Who knows what trouble I'd get into here if I got drunk? I may hook up with Ai, hit on random people, possibly even my friends too, and not to mention the things that I'd say to Tadashi. Things like _hey asshole, you don't believe in ghosts, well guess what psych- I am one!_ I let out a long, drawn out sigh and rest my forehead on the desk. At least the dimmed lights help the headache a bit.

Then Wasabi has to ruin the small bit of peace that I've created with the dark lightning. The lights switch on, practically blinding me as I let out a _ughhh_ that vaguely resembled a zombie. Or a ghost. Heh. Ghost puns. I would be laughing if not for the pounding in my head. I desperately try to cover up my eyes by burying them in my arms on the desk. I don't even have the energy to look up at Wasabi, but I can feel him standing beside my desk as he looks me over.

"Wow, washed out so soon," Wasabi jokes.

" _Ughhh."_

I can hear his tongue click slightly as if he's musing about something before finally I hear him set something on my desk. Creeping over my arm, I sneak a peak at the coffee container. I recognize _The Lucky Cat Cafe's_ logo on the mug so I know that whatever it contains, is going to be good. I quirk an eyebrow at Wasabi as I look at him briefly,

"I told Cass it was for you and she fixed up your usual," Wasabi explains, "as to what your usual is, I don't have a single clue. But I do know that you, my friend, have a serious caffeine problem just from the stuff that I did see her put in."

I manage to give him a sheepish grin as I eagerly take the coffee, sipping at it. It's true. I do have a caffeine problem. Mostly because it takes that much caffeine to just feel like a normal amount because of my metabolism. A special cup of Cass' _Wake Me Up_ special _plus_ about the normal amount of caffeine in about _five_ cups of coffee. If I were a human, this drink would _kill_ my heart. Among other things. I'm always on the move with the coffee- the cafe, the lab, various other places. I can't exactly add ectoplasm to it and have a glowing liquid in the cup that'd be noticeable. At least a beer can hides the glow.

But this is so much better than my brief plan of getting drunk. I savor the taste of the liquid, letting my tongue just soak up as much as it can with a small wistful sigh. The caffeine alone is already making me feel a bit better. Not exactly ready to go run a marathon, but at least the lights aren't as bright as they were a second ago.

Wasabi takes in my appearance as I sip at the coffee. I can see the _are you serious_ look on his face. I don't blame him. I'm sitting here at like eleven in the morning still in my pajamas (which really aren't pajamas at all, it's really just some sweats and an old t-shirt) and I still haven't showered. But instead of getting a judgmental look, Wasabi just looks understanding. Like he gets it. He understands. With a sympathetic pat on my shoulder, he speaks,

"I know how easy it is to get overwhelmed. I'm almost always overwhelmed. So just take it easy, okay? I'll tell the others that you won't be coming down to the lab and you just relax, do what you need to do…. But for the love of all things good, _take a damn shower…._ _And_ _organize your mess before I do it myself."_

I can see his hands twitching at those words. I'm sure he wants to nothing more than to clean up all the trash that's gathered around my desk- a result of trying to work on a blueprint with a searing, painful headache. His eyes glance to the trash with a nervous twitch, but to his credit, he's doing a wonderful job trying to control his impulses. I give him a small, half-hearted smile,

"Don't worry, Wasabi. By the time you see me again, everything, including myself, will be clean as a whistle."

He lets out a small sigh before returning my smile. After a short farewell, he's out the door as he shakes his head, muttering about his _'strange, workaholic roommate.'_ I've been called worse. Laughing a bit to myself, I gulp down the rest of the small mug as if I'm dying of thirst. Tossing it into the trash and feeling half-way back to my normal, I head out the door and toward the communal showers with a fresh set of clothes.

But as I make way to the showers, I can't help but think what I'm going to afterward. I could rest, but after having that caffeine I think I would just stare at the ceiling the whole time if I tried. I could work on the blueprints and risk my headache returning and getting worse. Or…

A lightbulb goes off in my head as I think of Tadashi and his skepticism and my conversation with Jazz, threatening to haunt him. I think it's time I make true on my word.

Oh.

This is going to be so good.

* * *

With no sign of Ai or any other psychics, I sneak my way into lab. Being invisible has its perks. I walk by unnoticed, occasionally turning intangible to escape being hit by an experiment, robot, or a person in a hurry. I see Wasabi in his little corner, working hard on his own project with a concentrated expression on his face. GoGo is spinning around the lab on a bike, but it soon looses balance causing her to fall with a curse. Honey Lemon has her hair pulled back as she works on her chemicals, her ear buds shoved in. I can hear her music all the way from here. Fred is lounging on his normal bean bag chair with a carefree attitude.

And then I spot him. Tadashi. My unsuspected enemy is about to receive an unexpected attack. A devious grin spreads across my face as I get closer to him. He doesn't notice me. I'd be surprised if he does. Though it's clear he feels someone is watching him from the way he glances out of the corners of his eyes and occasionally looks over his shoulder only to see nothing.

But what to do? There's all sorts of things I can do to him. Move his chair so he falls flat on his ass. Screw with his head by moving his drink to the other side of the table where he didn't leave it. Slide his wrench across the table when he goes to reach for it. My love for pranks is greater than my hatred for overshadowing. I could just easily overtake him and just have him walk out of the lab, only for me to leave him wondering how or when he got to the courtyard. So the real question is where to start.

Humming a bit to myself, I hover over him, leaning over his shoulder to observe his work. I have to admit, his blueprints look pretty interesting. Based on what I can read from his open notebook and the blueprints, he seems to be making a nurse-like robot. A robot for medical needs. The word _Baymax_ is in large bold letters across the notebook page with many underlines and circles for emphasis. Baymax huh? Interesting name. Interesting concept. A part of me hopes that he's able to go through with it. I may not like the guy, but I'm humble enough to say that his invention could help a lot of people too.

Bringing myself back to my mission, I start messing with him. I begin by just slowly dragging his mug out of his reach when he goes to snatch it up, causing him to grasp at thin air. He furrows his eyebrows with mild confusion but manages to get the cup. He mutters under his breath about sleep deprivation doing strange things to his memory. I snort at that one causing him to look up a bit startled at the sudden, close noise before he shakes it off. Sometimes I forget that invisibility does nothing for sound. Ah well.

He continues to work as if he doesn't notice anything else out of the ordinary. It doesn't stop me from doing strange things to him. Tapping him on the shoulder. Flipping his cap off his head. Sliding the wrenches. Moving his chair so he sits back down only to fall on his ass. I'm not sure how long I've been doing this, but it's obvious he's slowly getting more and more frustration before he finally lets out a long sigh,

"Fred, stop with your jokes, please. I'm trying to work."

He can't really think Fred's doing all of this, can he? Fred is barely smart enough to tie his shoes, nevertheless actually sneak around unnoticed. I let out an amused chuckle as Fred sits up on his bean bag chair with a confused expression.

"What? I haven't been doing anything, I swear. I've just been sleeping here."

"Well someone's doing something," Tadashi gestures his hands wildly, "I keep feeling someone tap me, my cap got hit off my head, and it's absolutely freezing in here, just who is keeping the AC this high?"

At this point, he gets the others' attention. From the look on their faces, it's clear they don't really believe Tadashi's claims. No one else, aside from me that is, has even been close enough to shake Tadashi's hand nevertheless actually do anything to mess with him. I covered my laugh by biting my cheeks and covering my mouth with my hand. Oh God. Their expressions of absolute _I think you need some sleep_ is absolutely the best thing I ever seen in my life. It's just too perfect.

GoGo is the first to take a step forward, going toward Tadashi with a slightly hesitant, _are you okay in the head_ look. It seems like she's going to check his temperature or something with the back of her hand. But the second she gets close to us, she shivers and takes a step back.

"Well, you're not lying. It's freezing as balls over here."

 _Freezing as balls._ I muse about the expression for a moment. Are balls really freezing? Can they even freeze in the first place? I don't think I'm the person to ask because _hello I'm half ghost with an ice core._ I shake that train of thought out of my head, not entirely comfortable thinking about it at the moment as I focus on the situation. Everyone has gathered toward Tadashi to feel the icy air that's forming around him.

In my defense, I can't really help that I emit cold a lot. It mostly happens when I do things like this. Using my abilities so extensively. Though I have upped the cold on purpose too to add to the fear factor. I don't think it's working on Tadashi, but Fred looks pretty freaked out.

"Objects moving on their own, sudden cold spots," Fred starts to list, counting on his fingers, "Being touched when no one's there… Dude there is a _ghost_ in this room."

He whispers ghost softly, but harshly. His eyes dart around nervously as he gulps thickly. I hesitate for a second before deciding this is too good of a chance to pass. Very carefully, I let the ice flow to my fingertips, making them ice cold as I brush them against Fred's neck and blow onto the back of his head causing him to jump and scream as he flails around.

"Something just frikkin' touched me, man! And I just- Tadashi this is your fault! You insulted the spirits!"

He huffs and practically runs out the door, flailing his arms around as he mutters around his breath, something about _the spirits_ being upset. Heh. I knew there was a reason I like Fred. He's funny to mess with. With a cocky smirk, I sit crossed leg a few feet in the air and upside. The top mop of white covers my eyes slightly, but I can still well enough as I continue to observe their conversation.

Wasabi seems a lot more hesitant about continuing the conversation though. Like Fred, he seems nervous as his eyes dart around nervously, his hands curled to his chest a bit. He looks like he's about to have a heart attack as his breathing becomes a bit more erratic.

"Ghosts," his voice cracks a bit, "You don't really think there's a ghost here… do you?"

He sounds like he's trying to convince himself. GoGo just rolls her eyes though Honey Lemon seems a bit more unsure. It's clear she doesn't know what to make of the unfamiliar situation as she looks around a bit for something, anything, she can get an answer from. Not going to work. Tadashi lets out a long drawn out sigh as he rubs his temples,

"No, Wasabi. It's not a ghost. In fact, I wouldn't put it past _him_ to plan this whole thing. As to how Danny's doing this, I don't know."

Why Tadashi, I'm hurt that you automatically think it's me that's haunting you. I mean, you're right, but it's the point of the matter.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Thank you so much for all the favorites, follows and reviews! I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story and enjoy the chapter!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

The next day I'm in a much better mood. Of course, a majority of time in the lab was spent grinning at Tadashi cheekily as he glared at me. It was so funny for him to try to accuse me of yesterday's mishaps, but he lacked any proof or logical evidence so the others weren't so quick to blame me. Though Wasabi is pretty sure that I did it because, according to him, I had a _cat ate the canary_ grin. The same grin is still on my face as I enter the _Lucky Cat Cafe._ Considering everyone else is still at the lab and it's before the lunch rush, I'm not surprised to see that it's slightly less crowded than usual. I like it. It's more spacy when I come in around this time.

Cass spots me instantly as I plop down at the counter. I give her a chipper wave of greeting, causing her to grin as she makes her way over.

"Why if it isn't one of my favorite customers? How are you doing Danny? Eating well? I still think you are much too thin. Maybe you need one of my ten pound, pound cake."

She muses to herself a bit, but I shake my head with a slightly nervous _please don't_ expression. As much as I appreciate the concern, and really I do, I am a pretty healthy weight for my size. A good portion of my weight is muscle, though I have a feeling I need to work out again soon to keep the muscle. I wave off her concerns,

"Please, Cass, it's fine, really. I eat enough at the college, I promise."

She clicks her tongue in disbelief,

"If you say so…. So how's your project going? You never did tell me what you're working on."

She plops down in a seat next to me with a curious expression on her face. Considering the fact that everyone in the cafe seems to be taken care of, she can afford the break. She seems to need it too. Faint bags are forming under her eyes from lack of sleep and stress. Poor Cass. I know she works her hardest over here and she does the best work she can do and that's not easy. I know with Tadashi, who I've learned is her nephew (though how he came to be in her care, I don't know), at college and Hiro being in the lab a good portion of the day, she's left to do a lot of it herself. Though Tadashi and Hiro do work here as much as they can. I just can't help feeling sorry for her and my heart bleeds for her.

But I'm a bit hesitant to say what I'm working on. Though she hasn't judged me yet so after a second of debate, I finally speak up.

"I'm actually working on a portal to a world parallel to ours- Limbo. Or as I like to call it, the Ghost Zone."

I rub my neck a bit sheepishly, wincing inwardly about what she may say. Knowing Cass, she's not going to be downright rude or disrespectful. Though I don't expect the absolutely starry-eyed expression that appears on her face. Her eyes go wide as her mouth gapes at me. I can see the stars in her pupils as she leans forward with interest.

"A portal to another dimension? And a ghost one at that? Danny that's absolutely amazing. How do you plan on pulling it off?"

Well that's a refreshing response to my project. No skeptic looks. No judgmental eyes. Just genuine curiosity and awe. It's so genuine that I can see it in her eyes. Just absolute awe. Like she can't believe that I'm doing to do something that's so off the wall and original. Like she has the uttermost faith that I can do it, she just wants to hear how I plan on doing it to satisfy her own curiosity. It's just an authentic support that for a brief moment, I'm a tad overwhelmed. Man it's been too long since someone's actually supported me to purely. Even Jazz is skeptic of me and treats me like an immature kid sometimes. But here Cass is, giving me the uttermost support like a parent to a child.

I choke up for a second and blink back the tears and the memories of my parents.

"I…. I have a big plan for it," I explain after gathering myself, "Blueprints and everything. There's this specific type of metal that, while hard to get, is absolutely perfect for this because it just absorbs the shocks of energy that can come from making such a portal. It'll use up a lot of electricity and a lot of chemicals, but hopefully with the right combination it can be done. Think of it like this, every dimension is on a radio channel and it's just a matter of tapping into the right one. So by using the electricity and chemicals, I'm creating a brief break in those radio waves that can allow travel between them to occur."

I try to keep it pretty simple. There's no use going into all the gritty details when I know they would just go over Cass' head. Besides, I'm not exactly a public speaker or a poet. I'm sure that even if I tried to explain the actual science behind it, I would just fumble over words and not know exactly how to say it. This is a lot easier for the both of us in the long run. Thankfully, she seems to understand as she nods, captivated by words.

"Fascinating," she breaths, "To think such a thing is even possible. I wish you the best of luck, Danny, I really do."

The awe seeps through her words causing me to get a bit more emotional as I rub my eyes with the back of my hand. I don't really want to be crying in front of Cass. Unluckily, judging from her sudden expression of empathy, she does notice the faint tears that I'm wiping away. Her lips turn into a small concerned frown as she puts the back of her hand against my forehead.

"Are you alright dear?"

When I was a kid, Mom would speak to me just like that. Those same words. Same tone. Some concerned expression as she would put her hand on my forehead to check for a fever as I would be desperately hoping that maybe if I coughed enough, she would believe I was actually sick. It never worked. She could always tell when I was just trying to skip school and she would send me out with a freshly packed lunch and a quick _I love you._

A small reminiscing smile graces my face as I laugh a bit to myself, still wiping at the tears.

"Yeah, I'm okay…."

She pulls away, clicking her tongue with a bit of disbelief but doesn't question me. It takes a moment before she finally returns the shaky smile I'm giving her. Then, as if it never happened, she's back to her normal, cheery self.

"If you say so! I better get back to work! But Hiro should be down soon!"

She gives me a chipper bye before dashing off to tend to one of the customers, leaving me alone. Though I won't be alone for long if Hiro is actually coming down. When I first met him and he blurted out that Tadashi is his brother (who apparently comes home and complains about me). Apparently Hiro could tell it was me since I'm the only one who could fit the description of ' _a_ _short_ _Gothic ghost buster movie actor with charm but is so infuriating it causes aneurisms.'_ I'm almost flattered by that description actually. Thankfully, Hiro doesn't share the same judgmental prejudice as his brother. He was hesitant and cautious about me, sure, but as soon as I mentioned that I have an older, overbearing sister, we hit it off.

By now, I know all about his bot fighting among a few other things. Like how Tadashi is pushing Hiro to be a robotic engineer like him. While I don't like the idea of Hiro illegally bot fighting, I made it pretty clear to him that he can do whatever he wants with his life, but to make sure that he challenges himself. Last I heard from him, that bit of information sparked an idea in his mind of some sort of electromagnetic robot that could put itself together. To my knowledge, he's still trying to make that idea a reality.

I spot Hiro making his way down the stairs and into the cafe with a goofy grin on his face. He comes straight to me and we share a quick fist bump followed by a mimicking explosion.

"How's it goin' little _Hero,"_ I joke lightly, nudging him with my elbow as he sits beside me.

He makes an exaggerated face at the nickname, groaning a bit dramatically.

"Save a cat from a tree one time and suddenly the pronunciation of my name takes on a more literal meaning."

He leans back in his chair, propping his elbows up to rest his head on his hands and his feet go straight to the counter. I wonder how long it will take Cass to get onto him for that. If she ever notices anyway. She tends to be off in her own little world a lot. I glance at her briefly to see her sneak a few cookies off the counter as she passes by on her way to another customer. We lock eyes for a brief second as she does so, causing her to flush before she just makes a face at me and continues with her business. Pft. Cookie thief. Though is someone really a cookie thief if they're the ones that make the cookies?

"So," Hiro speaks up, a devious grin on his face, "Tadashi told me what happened yesterday- it's a good thing he doesn't know you come here otherwise I might not be able to get a lot of information out of him. But he's certain you're the one to do it and after hearing everything, I'm sure of it too. But I have to know, _how_? It's been driving me nuts. At first, I thought maybe Did you sneak some sort of remote electromagnetic mini-robot on his stuff so you can control it remotely?"

To be honest, I haven't really thought about how I could explain what I did. Because I knew at some point I was going to have to explain to someone, either Hiro or Wasabi, about how I did it. Though I like Hiro's explanation. Simple and believable. I can roll with that for now. I give him a small smirk and lean a bit back into the chair,

"How did you know?"

His eyes light up at being right,

"I knew it! I totally knew it! And Tadashi _swore_ that you couldn't have done something like that, but I knew I was right!"

He cheers a bit to himself, pumping his fists into the air. I laugh a bit at him and reach out to ruffle his hair.

"Yeah, yeah, we all know you're a genius Hiro."

"So are you," Hiro points out, "I know you're working on a dimensional portal and that alone is hard enough, but to make one to go to some place like Limbo is a whole other level."

We haven't really talked about my project. The few times we've had, I've dodged around it or walked on eggshells. Never really got his opinion on it. Mostly because I thought that it would change his mind about me and turn him into his brother. But the second he mentions that what I'm doing is on another level, I feel a bit more at ease. I relax with a small sigh.

"I appreciate it, Hiro, but it's not completed."

"Yet," Hiro adds, "And it's actually pretty possible for it to work. I've done the research- though maybe looking up _ghosts_ wasn't a good idea, I got a lot of stuff about some sort of Amity hoax or something like that. I didn't mention the stuff I found to Tadashi because I don't want him to realize we're conspiring against him."

Well there goes my total chill attitude. The second he briefly mentions Amity, I tense up. I feel my jaw clench and my hands briefly turn to fists as I try to control the minor flash of anger. It goes away as quickly as it came, but Amity still lingers in my mind. Vlad did a really good job at covering it up. Turning the Battle of Amity, or the Destruction of Amity, into a mere freak gas leak conspiracy that no one really believes. Some say ghosts. Some say it's government population control. Some say aliens. Some say Vlad actually blew the town up and is covering his tracks. All of it's not really in depth and nothing of concern, but the fact that it even showed up in a search on ghosts makes me a bit uneasy.

Maybe all he found was just brief articles of Amity being haunted which led him to finding the 'gas leak' related papers. I'm almost sure that's what happened. It takes a second, but I'm finally about to process the rest of Hiro's comment and laugh.

"You're an evil little shit sometimes, you know that?"

"Nah," Hiro brushes it off without concern, "My brother has just had it too good for too long."

The twinkle of amusement in his eyes tell me he's not serious about the statement and just making a joke that causes us to laugh even more. From the corner of my eyes, I see Cass glance at us. There's some sort of strange expression on her face. A sort of _aww aren't they cute_ type of expression that causes me to flush a bit. There's just one problem. The pink tinge in my cheeks gets Hiro's attention and I just know that this thirteen-year-old has gained ammunition…. And he has no fear of firing.

"Ohhh," he nudges me, "Let me guess, cute girl?"

I wave him off with a grin, catching Cass' attention as I wink at her. She looks at me a bit confused as she gets a bit closer to us to hear what's going on. I click my tongue and do the classic Elvis point at her.

"The cutest."

She flushes a bit and laughs as she shakes her head while Hiro just about falls off his chair from laughing so hard. I guess my jokes just... _kill_. Pft. Cass is still laughing at me and Hiro as she ruffles both of our heads, shaking up our hair,

"You flatter me, Danny, and you two are just absolute knuckleheads, I swear."

With another laugh, she continues on her way. The grins on Hiro and I's faces still stay as we laugh to ourselves. It takes a moment before we're even able to speak again, catching our breaths as we hunch over a bit. When I look back at Hiro, I see no expression of humor on his face as he gets a bit of a faraway look in his eyes. He doesn't even look at me. His focus is directly at the floor.

"Sometimes I wish you were my brother," Hiro's voice is a bit soft, "Not that I don't love Tadashi and he's amazing… I really look up to him, but sometimes, he just seems too… controlling."

My eyes soften as I reach out to put my hand on his shoulder, the sudden solemn mood hitting us bother. I know what he means. I really do. For years, I looked up my sister, but as I grew older, especially when I hit thirteen and fourteen, my sister seemed different in my eyes. She was still my sister. I still loved her. She had her moments. But she was always convinced that she was right. She thought that I had to do this and do that in order to be a hero and be successful. It caused so much tension between us until I realized that all of it was just her way of trying to encourage me to make the most of my life and to not get hurt.

And I think Hiro needs to realize that too. Sometimes with Tadashi being at the college so often I think Hiro feels a bit left out or lonely. I mean, even I know Tadashi doesn't really come down to the cafe except late night and on weekends- usually spent working or sleeping. Hiro must be feeling so many different emotions about the whole thing. Happiness that Tadashi is doing so well. Pride that it's his brother whose going to SFIT, even if he calls it the Nerd Lab. Love for his brother. Resentment that even as smart as he is, Tadashi is viewed as the smart one because it's Tadashi whose at SFIT and making something for himself. Fear that he's going to lose Tadashi. Fear that if he went to SFIT, he won't live up to expectations or he'll let Tadashi down. Or worse, people there will just see Tadashi's shadow or Tadashi's little brother, not _Hiro._ Not the genius kid who has so much potential.

I can see it all in his face. His movements. I can see it because I've been in his position as a little brother. I can see it in the pulses of his aura. But I have heard Tadashi speak of Hiro too. Not necessarily to me, but I have overheard a few things. Stuff like how proud he is of Hiro. How he wants the best for him. That he has so much potential and he desperately wants Hiro to do something with that genius and not let it waste away.

"You know, I used to hate my sister," I speak up slowly, choosing my words carefully, "For years I hated her. I never really realized she just wants the best for me and it's her job as an older sibling to make sure that I do the right thing. It's hard and we still have fights sometimes, partially because we spent so much time just fighting when I was about your age…. But we'd be nothing without each other. She's my sister. And… Tadashi loves you, Hiro, you know that? I mean, he _really_ cares about you. He talks about how proud he is of you at the lab practically 24/7… Or at least he does when he and I aren't arguing."

We both share a small laugh at that, the tension quickly disappearing. Though I can feel that family bond forming between Hiro and I. I can see it in our auras too. That natural bond as if we've always been family or meant to be family. I've noticed that Cass and I have been slowly forming that same sort of bond of family. I can already tell that if things escalate, these bonds are just going to stronger and soon I'll be part of the family, whether I like it or not.

Part of it worries me. I've only been here for a while. A month, _maybe_. And already this is happening. So strongly. So quickly. Though this is Hiro and Cass. Tadashi's family. Tadashi's _only_ family and here I am creating this natural bond with them. So the real reason I'm worrying is over a very simple question….

If I'm bonding with his family, where does Tadashi fit into this equation?


	9. Chapter Eight

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHT**

* * *

 _ **Two Weeks Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I've avoided the cafe for a whole two weeks after the sudden realization of the bonds. It just doesn't make that much sense to me that I'm forming that bond with Cass and Hiro, but not with Tadashi. In fact, Tadashi is the last person I expect to form any sort of bond with. Which is a bit of a pity. I mean, he is pretty smart. The designs that I saw for Baymax are genius and a giant non-threatening appearance will make him more friendly, especially for the kids. In fact, I like to think that if we weren't always fighting over the existence of ghosts, we'd be good friends.

Wasabi did end up questioning about my pranks though. Even Honey Lemon and GoGo got in on it, curious if I really was the one behind that incident a few weeks ago. I gave the same explanation that Hiro gave me, which they accepted halfheartedly. Wasabi even laughed and patted me on the back for a job well done. GoGo admitted that while she's a bit skeptic of my portal that at least it's clear I have a bit of genius in me. I wasn't sure whether to be complimented or insulted. She makes it hard to tell. Fred's convinced I'm just covering for a ghost though. He's not that far off, scarily enough. I did make them all promise not to tell Tadashi, which they hesitantly agreed to when I explained that I just love pranks and don't want the fun taken out of it. And that I have no plans of doing anything harmful to anyone.

With a shake of my head, I focus my attention back on what I'm doing. Wasabi is gone to the lab and I've made enough progress on my project that I can take a small break. Said break is being spent by practically cutting open my own arm. It doesn't really hurt, which is a bit surprising. With safety goggles, an apron, gloves, the proper equipment that I snagged from my own first aid kit, and a lot of plastic covering the desk so the blood doesn't get anywhere, I've taken the liberty of experimenting on myself. As gruesome as it is, it's really the only way I can figure out what's going on with my own body. After all, I am a halfa.

Biting at my lip, I pin back my skin at my forearm and start to prod around, looking for any sign of abnormalities. I wince when I find one. My bone. My entire bone is just covered in a very thin layer of pure ectoplasm. It's glowing slightly, but is pretty contained to just the bone. Though from the way some of it leaks into the surrounding muscle suggests it also affects more than just my skeleton.

I write my thoughts down into a nearby notebook entitled _Unusual Experiments- Danny J. Fenton._ Most of it is in English, but that's because writing in English takes more thought processing than writing in Ghost Speak all the time. I need to make sure, especially when I'm doing experiments like this, that I can still manage that thought processing. That I'm still fully aware and conscious.

 _Experiment Ten- The Skeletal System_

 _How does my ghostly DNA affect my bones?_

 _By opening up my arm, very carefully and safely, I'm able to see the bone in my forearm. A common scalpel is used to create the four inch incision on my forearm, between my elbow and my wrist. The skin is peeled back and carefully pinned, resembling a frog dissection. Except I'm not a frog. It's almost a mixture of a vivisection and a dissection since I'm part ghost…. And this is on my arm and not my chest._

 _The ectoplasm is forming around my bones, leaking into nearby muscles. It creates a sort of green glow around the bones with a faint thick substance resembling pure ectoplasm, but not quite there. The substance seeps through my bones without there being any sort of hole as if it's phasing through the bone itself or if it's physically apart of the bone in a way I can't describe. I can see the liquid seeping into the muscles and faintly touching the outer lining of the skin like green specs. If it's effecting my entire skeleton and leaking everywhere then there's a possible leak to my organs as well.* The pure ectoplasm is such a concentrated amount that I'm curious to find out if it's something that my own body is creating or if I'm just absorbing nearby ectoplasm- that's another experiment for another time._

 _The effect of the ectoplasm on my bones is mostly unknown. My body feels the same, aside from the changes in the basic stats (blood pressure, heart rate and temperature). My metabolism and digestive system is different. I eat more and it's becoming harder to eat solid, human foods. But there are no side effects that are changing my health. I still sleep, maybe even more so than normal, but I am a college student._

 _Multiple theories are already forming in my mind. Could this change in my bones and muscles be why I'm able to take so many hits without too much effect? Is the ectoplasm making my bones that strong? Is it possible that this is allowing my body manipulation and/or duplication? Does the ectoplasm leaking into my organs cause my high metabolism and change of stomach?_

 _On a side note, the blood during this experiment is more ectoplasm than it is human blood. This must effect my accelerated healing process, slow heart beat, and low temperature. Which means it is leaking into my heart*._

 _At this point I wonder if I am more ghost than I am human._

 _*note- next experiment may have to deal with more sensitive body part, possibly the heart to better understand any possible ectoplasmic leak to it and other organs as well as get the chance to see how the ectoplasm in my veins effect the cardiac organ_

There's a small little drawing just before the experiment title. I drew, to the best of my ability which actually isn't that bad, my arm and how I've pinned the skin back to reveal the muscles and bones. I even tried to duplicate how the ectoplasm forms on my bones and muscles in the drawing. There's side notes everywhere in every direction on the page about this and that. The lack of pain during the procedure. How even if there's a lot of blood, it's still not as much as there should be (followed by it's possible that the ectoplasm has slowed that down as well). Before beginning, I took my blood pressure, heart beat, and even temperature, which is included in the margins. A heart beat of less than 10 beats per minute, which is low considering a normal resting heartbeat measures between 40 (which would likely be an athletic person rather than the average joe) and 100. A blood pressure of 70 over 40, which is _extremely_ low since normally it's roughly about 120 over 80. A temperature of about 68 degrees, which is below hypothermia. No wonder I always feel so cold- Sam and Tucker used to loose their shit every time I would sneak up behind them and put my hands on the back of their necks.

The bottom half of the experiment is followed by a quick signature of my name and the date. I add a small margin that says how it's likely this will heal quick enough before it's noticed, but will also likely leave a small faded scar.

Biting at my lip, I flip through the notebook at other previous experiments before I get to work on patching up my arm. I have faith that Wasabi won't be here soon. Any sort of camera that's anywhere even _near_ our room is blocked out. Even if someone, Wasabi or not, enters I have plenty of precautions. Some may or may not include minor wards of the sort that I've researched that are for privacy purposes. But for the most part, I've just tried to expand my sixth sense of auras so I could sense if someone was coming.

The first experiment I did was when I was about fifteen years old, a whole year after the accident. The second experiment came six months later after that. Soon, I was doing at least one experiment every six months to keep things recent and updated. Each time revealed different and new results.

 _Experiment One- Limitations_

 _I have decided to test the limitations of my own body. My status as half ghost has left my heart beat 25 beats per minute, temperature of 83 degrees and a blood pressure of 80 over 50. All of it is abnormally low. I wonder if this is normal for a half ghost or if maybe my stats will higher or lower depending on power and my age. For now, I'm comforted in the fact that I at least retain a heart beat._

 _During this experiment, I have done many different tests to see what my limitations are, each with a week between for rest and recovery._

 _Test one- Water_

 _The normal human can go without water for three days. I have gone past the normal for humans. It's at least a week without water before I start feeling the side effects and dehydration. Minor headaches and thirst. My skin starts getting dry. I start showing dangerous signs of dehydration just at the end of the week with my eyes sunk in and my blood pressure goes low. It's said that when it begins to get bad, the blood actually sucks the fluid from itself to rehydrate thus causing the low blood pressure. I end the test here before I reach the final stage. I spent two days in a hospital with an IV and I rehydrate before I continue with the tests within in the nest week._

 _Test two- Food_

 _A human can go about three weeks without food, though Ghandi lasted 21 days and there have been reports of people going 70 days (a rare occurrence). I drink as little water as possible in order to help with accurate results, but it is a test of starvation rather than dehydration. I barely even last the three weeks. I have a theory about ghosts needing more energy. To be tested farther later._

 _Test three- Sleep_

 _Research has shown that it's not very clear how long someone can go without sleep before dying. The theory is about six months. I don't last a week and I think about my theory about ghosts needing more energy. Being half human, my energy comes from both sleep and food, while ghosts rely solemnly on ectoplasm._

 _Test four- Flight_

 _My limit for flight speed is roughly 145 miles per hour, hopefully to improve more as it has improved since I first began. When I first got my powers, my limit was 125 miles per hour. I end up flying for about three days before I pass out. I refer back to my statement about needing more energy._

 _Many more experiments and tests to follow._

I think back to all the other experiments I've done as I read through the notebook. The time I inserted a vial of pure ectoplasm into my arm only to get so overly powered that I didn't sleep for almost two months and I fought other ghosts with no problem. When I did different (curable) poisons and venom to see how it would effect me. They all did, but to the extent that they would for normal humans and it went away soon without the need for a cure. When I tried to build a tolerance to Blood Blossoms (successful). Along with many others that aren't for the faint of heart, including a minor dissection of my own hand.

But at that moment, there's a ringing coming from my phone. An image of my sister comes up, signaling she wants to Skype with me. Without even thinking twice, I accept the call and her face appears on the screen. She seems happy to see me at first, but it quickly turns into an expression of horror as she takes in what I'm doing. It takes a second for me to even realize why she's so horrified. Shit. She can see my arm and everything.

The horror quickly turns into anger as she starts shouting at me,

" _Daniel James Fenton, what do you think you are doing?!"_

"Obviously I'm eating a burrito."

She doesn't think I'm funny. She sits there with an angered, concerned expression as she huffs, her arms cross over her chest. I whine a bit at her expression and toss my head back,

"I'm a scientist Jazz, what did you expect?! Of course I'm going to experiment on myself. I can't exactly experiment on anything or anyone else, can I?"

She still huffs at me, her cheeks puffing up with a slight pink tint before she finally lets out a few (well a lot) long dragged out breaths. Eventually, she looks a lot calmer as she speaks to me, though her voice is a bit more cold and sharp.

" _Danny, you can't experiment on yourself. Science, no science, I don't care. You could really hurt yourself."_

I roll my eyes, letting out a small _pssh,_

"I'm not going to hurt myself Jazz, I swear. I'm not some amateur. And I'm finding out some interesting things…. Like how I'm slowly becoming more like a ghost. I mean, I kind of suspected that before this particular experiment actually. Low heart beat. Colder temperature. High metabolism, but lack of a metabolism for solid, normal food and drinks…."

I trail off a bit, my eyes looking downcast. For a brief moment, I get a flash of back from the war. The way I used my powers to end the other ghosts. How I defeated Vlad. The red eyes and the pure anger I felt that the time didn't bother me like it should have, but afterward all I could do was think of Dan. He lost his humanity and he became a monster. Is that my destiny? To lose my humanity, whether it's from getting my human half taken out completely or from my ghost half slowly take over my human self? I continue a bit more softly at these thoughts.

"Am I even human anymore?"

Jazz's expression softens and I can practically see her heart bleeding for me as she puts her hand over her chest.

" _Danny, of course you're human. You have ghost tendencies, sure, but you're still human. You're still you. You still breathe, even if it's not as much as what should be the human normal. You still feel emotions. You still connect with people…. As bad as he was, Vlad was still human too."_

"I don't think he really counts," I shake my head, "I don't think he's even a 'real' halfa to be honest. He was only shot in the face with the ectoplasm and got the ghost powers from that, or from the severe ectoacne- I'm a bit unclear on that. But it was such a small concentrated amount in one section that I don't really think it affected him as it should have if it were a full dose of ectoplasm. Meanwhile, I was shot with not only a hella lot of ectoplasm but also electrocuted in the process which may have had more of an effect…. In a way, I think Vlad is a human with ghost powers, whereas I'm actually _half ghost."_

Jazz hums a bit as she takes the information in, though she doesn't seem to be too pleased about what it is she's hearing. I think she still understands what I'm saying though, even if she doesn't like it.

" _...I guess. Just make sure to patch yourself up, okay? Ellie wants to talk to you."_

"Okay just give me like five minutes."

I put our conversation on pause and set the phone a bit away, angled so that if Ellie did come on, she wouldn't see what I'm doing. I don't want to traumatize my own daughter if she saw me like this. After taking off my goggles, I grab the first aid kit and start to get to work on sewing up my arm. If I'm right, this really should heal up fast. I hope I'm right. It only takes me a few minutes before the three inch gash is sewed back together. I made sure to clean up my arm before and after I sewed it so there's not a single trace of blood on my arm. Using intangibility, I phase the blood off the utensils I used so it splashes onto the plastic. Taking off my gloves, I add those to the discard pile. Placing my hand over the bloody plastic and other discarded things, I set I freeze it all over with my ghostly ice before destroying it one quick, tiny zap of an ectoblast. There. All gone and done.

" _Daddy!"_

And just in time too. I grab my phone and light up at the sight of my daughter. Just like usual, she's cute as a button with an attitude to boot. She grins up at me, waving eagerly as her little pigtails fly around her head.

"Hey princess," I coo at her, "Are you practicing your powers like I showed you?"

She hesitates for a second, biting at her lip innocently. That second is all it takes for me to know that she hasn't been practicing control. Well that and the fact that ever so slowly, the screen is changing as if she's being lift into the air. Hovering. Good thing that she's only at Jazz's place and not somewhere public.

"Princess," I sigh slightly, "You know you're supposed to be practicing…."

" _But it's hard,"_ she stresses, pouting at me slightly, _"No fun. No you."_

Ah. So she's not practicing because it's no fun when I'm not there? That it's too hard? I run my fingers through my hair, letting a small slightly frustrated sigh. I can't exactly come over here. Yet anyway. But I do miss her. A lot. Crazily much actually. I just want to hug her and tell her everything's going to be okay and never let go because she's my precious baby girl. God I've become such a _dad._

"Maybe one day soon you can come visit Daddy," I finally give in to the urge to see her.

Her screaming causes me to wince, but laugh as I watch her phase through the nearby wall in excitement, still floating a bit. She's still screaming in pure joy even as Jazz snatches the phone away to give me the most _I just got her to calm down are you serious_ look I have ever seen on her face. I give my sister a slightly sheepish shrug, a small pink tint dusting my cheeks,

"Heh… Sorry Jazz."


	10. Chapter Nine

**Man I don't know why this chapter seemed to be so hard to write. It's so strange writing as Tadashi and he's so hard to nail down that I doubt I will be doing this again. Still, at least he's finally admitting his feelings.**

 **Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

 _ **Tadashi Hamada**_

I'm not a very angry person. I don't hold grudges. I don't yell at people. I try my best to get along with everyone…. But then there's Daniel Fenton. Danny. The one person I ever met who seems to push any and all buttons that I have. He's attractive- his eyes especially have a sort of unique way of sucking people in and even if he's a bit on the shorter end of the stick, he has a large personality that makes him seem like the biggest person in the room sometimes. Charming. Even his voice is smooth and sways people. He has a sort of look about them that practically screams Gothic movie actor. For a brief moment, I trail off in my thoughts wondering just when I have began thinking about him like that before shaking it all off.

He does have his own faults.

For one, I still don't like his apparent 'hook up' with Ai as if it meant nothing to him at all. I don't think she personally minded just having a one time thing with him, but it bothers me that this guy, who aside from his belief in ghosts, seems to be a pretty good guy and yet he's not giving women the respect they deserve. There's just something about the idea of a one night thing that burrows deep in my skin uncomfortably and makes me uneasy. A part of me wonders if the guy ever had a serious relationship or any relationship if he's just here having a bunch of hook ups instead of an actual relationship. I'm sure he could find someone easily enough…. But that's not his only fault.

Secondly, he's open about things, or at least, he doesn't mind speaking about things every now and then, but there's something there. Something that just seems like he still isn't telling us everything or if he's lying to us. It's hard to tell which. He may be open about some things, but Danny is still one of the most secretive people that I know. I mean, the guy still hasn't let _anyone_ see his detailed notes or blueprints about the portal.

Lastly, he's i _nfuriating._ He doesn't seem to take science too seriously if he's actually going to build some sort of portal to a _ghost zone_ of all places. A dimensional portal in itself would be hard to believe, but at least it'd be more plausible, but a portal to an actual _Limbo?_ With _actual ghosts?_ I can't wrap my head around it. He seems like an intelligent guy, and yet he just goes on and on about _ghosts._ So much potential just _wasted._ He could be using that genius to help people, help others, and yet there he is speaking about ghosts as if they are right beside him.

 _Ghosts,_ I shake my head slightly, _unbelievable._ Don't get me wrong, maybe at one point I did believe in ghosts. I know I did when I was a kid and Mom and Dad would try to calm me down after I swore up and down that there was a ghost in my closet… But after their deaths, I guess I have to heavily rely on the belief in a happier ending in the afterlife then just staying here and lingering….

The sad thing is, if not for our dispute about the existence of ghosts, I really think he'd be a good friend. He's a nice guy- I haven't seen him do or say a single bad thing to anyone or about anyone (aside from me occasionally due to our feud). He actually doesn't seem to mind Fred bugging him every ten minutes about this and that. From what I've heard, he actually tries to keep his side of the room as clean as he can and cause as little of a mess as possible so it doesn't bother Wasabi. He shares music interests with Honey Lemon- I think they've even briefly thought about going to a concert together. Even GoGo likes Danny and I don't think GoGo ever really likes _anyone_ aside from our little group- which, even if it's a bit hard to admit, I think Danny is a part of.

God I wish we weren't always fighting. Maybe then we'd actually be able to really get to know each other. We could talk about our projects logically and calmly. Share advice and he could maybe even help me make improvements for Baymax to work properly and maybe then I'll get to see just how he plans for this portal of his to work. Maybe be very close friends- though he doesn't really seem to be close friends with anyone rather just good friends with everyone. And I do try, I really do, to keep calm and I tell myself that I won't fight with him every day I see him. But when he opens his mouth and spews this nonsense about ghosts, I can't help but fight back- just a little bit anyway. We're both a bit stubborn I suppose when it comes to defending our own beliefs…. That _I'm up to something_ smirk of his doesn't help things either. Not matter how damn attractive it is.

I shake all those thoughts about Danny, positive and otherwise, out of my head as I try to focus on working. Aunt Cass has been working really hard lately and she deserves a break- I practically ushered out to go get her hair or nails done as a treat (I even gave her the money she would need for it) and leave the cafe to me and Hiro. She was hesitant, but Hiro and I reassured her that we would be able to handle it. I just feel so bad that she's often left here doing all of this herself when I'm gone. I know Hiro does his best to help, but even he can't do that much.

I'm in the middle of cleaning one of the tables when there's a small chime signaling that a new customer came in. Turning, there's a big smile on my face as I greet them automatically out of habit.

"Hello and welcome to Lucky Cat Cafe how can I- _oh._ It's you."

My smile falters as I see Danny enter the shop. He eyes me up and down with an amused grin on his face, his eyes gleaming with mischief. I tense up a bit, straightening my back and squaring my shoulders as my jaw clenches.

"So, disturbing me at the college wasn't enough?"

The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Crap. That… That was actually really rude of me. I inwardly wince at the words, but try to keep a calm demeanor.

"Unclench your ass, Tadashi," Danny snorts with a smirk, "Believe it or not, my whole life doesn't resolve bothering you. In fact, I actually come in here a lot. I do have a life outside the college you know."

I narrow my eyes a bit, not really trusting his answer. I figured that he would have to be here eventually. I mean, Aunt Cass does run a rather popular cafe, especially for college students. But until now I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would avoid the place or have better things to do. Apparently I'm not that lucky. Not only is here, but according to him, it's not the first time he's been here either.

"Not much of a life, I reckon, you seem to be some sort of depressed loner with issues," I can't help but retort, causing Danny to tense as he squares his shoulders.

Shit. Looks like I hit a nerve with him. I didn't mean for it to come out that harshly and almost as soon as it's out in the open, I regret it. A heavy guilt and shame cover me tightly and feels heavy on my shoulders.

There's something in his eyes that I haven't seen before. Almost like anger, but it seems to closely resemble grief. I almost forgot that, just like me, Danny lost his parents. Except that it wasn't years ago like my own parents' death, it was more recent. So of course he doesn't have that many friends outside our group (and even then we're not really close friends). He's probably still grieving in his own way, something I know too much about myself…. And I know just how easy it is to spiral into a true depression when in that grieving stage...

….I'm an asshole. An insensitive asshole who needs to learn to think before he speaks when it comes to Dan, especially if I actually want to have a friendship with the guy eventually. I swallow thickly and look away from his eyes in shame. I know that I'll have to apology to him, now or later, but he makes it hard to apology when he gets that look in his eyes. It almost makes them look… red.

"And how would you know," Danny's voice is laced with an icy tone, "It's not like you've made an effort to get to know me or see anything more than three inches in front of yourself. Not that I blame you. It must be pretty hard to see with your nose up in the air like some sort of know it all _ass_ who refuses to acknowledge anyone else's side."

And he's bringing this all back to the ghost argument. I should have seen that coming. Suddenly I feel slightly less guilty than I did a second ago. But it's still there, lingering beneath the surface. Taking a deep breath, I try to calm my nerves so I can apologize. But before I can speak again, Danny cuts me off with a small wave of his hand as he glances behind me briefly. Whatever he's staring at seems to have an effect on him. His stance relaxes and his expression softens before he turns back to me, putting his hand out for some sort of hand shake.

I take his hand and I find myself being put in some sort of bro hug as he bumps chests with me, patting my back with his free hand,

"Hiro is right behind us and he doesn't seem to like the way we're talking so I'm going to cut it short," Danny whispers into my ear.

Oh. Hiro… Hiro heard all of that? He must think I'm terribly for saying that to Danny. I know for Hiro depression is an uncomfortable topic. I think that, like myself, he's gone through it in his own ways too. Just like whenever our parents are brought up, he'll clam up and get uncomfortable. Though judging from how Danny talked, I think he's met Hiro before. They… They must be on pretty good terms if he doesn't want Hiro to get upset….

I swallow thickly and return the gesture, patting Danny on the back as I whisper into his ear,

"Thank you… And I'm… I'm sorry for being an asshat."

To my surprise, Danny relaxes completely as he lets me go in favor for laughing, a large grin spreading across his face. I guess he's taking my apology a lot better than I thought he would. There's no gloating. No _oh Tadashi's finally opening up his eyes huh?_ No sort of banter… Hiro's gotten close enough to us now that I can see him from the corner of my eyes, though he's still a bit away from us, watching us warily.

"Apology accepted, don't worry about it. But don't think this doesn't mean that we won't be having a little talk about ghosts later," Danny winks at me before turning toward my little brother, "Hiro, how's my favorite little evil mastermind?!"

I watch a bit stunned, almost melancholic, as Hiro's demeanor changes. He practically bounces over to us with a grin stretched on his face as he greets Danny with a fist bump followed by an explosion. Hiro gets along with a lot of people, but this… This is as if they are as thick as thieves, like _brothers,_ like Hiro and myself. It's rare for Hiro to get that deep of a connection with anyone but me…. Something about the fact that Hiro and Danny get along so well is almost...relieving. Like I want Hiro to 'approve' of him, like I want them to get along….

I shake my head slightly, getting all those confusing thoughts out of my head before I greet Hiro myself with a small smirk,

"Evil mastermind?"

Hiro looks a bit sheepish, a small blush creeping on his cheeks as he looks away. Danny is still laughing as he ruffles Hiro's hair.

"Yep," Danny answers my question, "You have one smart brother here, Tadashi- a genius even."

The praise for Hiro causes my chest to puff up with pride. An easy grin makes its way to my face as Hiro seems to get a bit more flustered at all at the attention.

"That's Hiro for you," I agree, "He's an absolute genius with robotics. Already graduating igh school and everything."

Danny nods a bit in agreement, or as if he already knows this information. Which he probably does. If he's been here before then I have no doubts that Aunt Cass has already told him all about Hiro's achievements….

"Pft., I know I'm smart, but this is ridiculous," Hiro tries to brush off all the praises, but it doesn't really work as Danny and I just laugh at him.

It's not long before the three of us are talking, with Hiro and I going back and forth between working and speaking to Danny as he sits at the counter. Eventually Danny even grabs an extra apron from the back and helps out. It surprises me a bit that he's so willing to work without pay just to help us out. But he doesn't seem to mind as he keeps insisting that he's always happy to help out. We're all busying ourselves around the cafe, laughing at each other, cracking jokes, and as I glance at Danny from the corner of my eyes.

He's smiling softly at one of the older customers, gently handing them the cup,

"Just be careful," he speaks gently and carefully, "it get pretty hot."

The older lady, one of the regulars here since I remember seeing her before, smiles at him fondly as she laughs a bit.

"Oh boy, I didn't know that Cass got a new waiter here. And such a handsome one at that."

She teasingly hits him on the arm, causing him to flush as he stutters over the his words. His face is about as red as one of Aunt Cass' peppers as he scratches the back of his neck sheepishly.

Seeing him like that, with such a flustered look on his face, causes a small flutter in my chest as my heart speeds up. He looks…. Cute. Not that he isn't already cute… I can feel my face heat up a bit as I make eye contact with Danny. His eyes lock into mine with an intensity. I could lose myself in those hypnotizing eyes. Eyes that seem to say that's he's seen everything there is to see, but he's still alive. He's still here. He's…. He's… I swallow thickly and quickly look away, barely even able to mutter a quick _sorry_ under my breath. I can see him looking away from me with a reddened face as well. I wonder if he's just embarrassed because of the older lady or because of me?

My heart is practically skipping at that thought. What… What is this? I clutch at my chest a bit, scratching absently at it as I bite at my lip…. I… I think I'm actually developing feelings for Danny. I want to just get to know him. Be with him. Laugh with him. A part of me has always been attracted to him- he's handsome, charming, kind, considerate, the list goes on. But actually admitting is an entirely different thing.

I can see Hiro looking at me almost knowingly, a small _you like him don't you_ grin on his cheeky little face as he passes me, nudging me playfully as he whispers,

"I wondered when you would figure it out."

But he's already onto the next task before I can give him a reply. Damn it Hiro. How can my little brother know before I do? Is it that obvious? Does Danny know? Is that why he's so nice today? My heart is just going faster and faster as I try to calm myself.

I barely even realize that Danny is saying his goodbyes to Hiro and I as he ditches the apron and heads out, declaring that he had a good time with all of us. With him gone, I feel a bit of a sinking feeling.

Today was a lot of fun…. And I know that tomorrow, we'll be right back to our little argument about ghosts…. Shit.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Ahhhhh I'm screaming. I managed to get this chapter done, finally, it took a while because I never seem to get scenes right so I hope I'm not losing my touch.**

 **On the bright side, I'm turning 17 tomorrow so that's a plus (even if I feel old as shit now- but on the bright side, I'm the Dancing 'King').**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

 _ **Month later**_

Shit. Holy fucking shit on a stick. I run my hands through my hair and quickly try to make myself look slightly more presentable. No matter what I seem to do, my hair just isn't cooperating today at all. It just sticks up in all sorts of directions in a messy manner. Damn it. I've never really cared that much about my appearance before, but after that day in the Lucky Cat Cafe, here I am worrying about if I look good for Tadashi. It's proving to be a lot more hassle than it's worth to be honest.

That day in the Lucky Cat Cafe was something…. I realized just what the connection was between Tadashi and I. God, what a rollar coaster this is to realize that the one guy who I argue with all the time, about ghosts no less, is actually… someone I want to pursue. Our auras that day at the cafe, just started to open up to each other. Sure it'd be a while before it really formed anything, but they were starting to try to meld together. It is… exciting… to realize that Tadashi and I actually might have something going- maybe not now, but eventually anyway. Something that's deep and actually meaningful. Like what I had before… I sigh a bit wistfully at that thought. He is a really attractive guy. He's nice. He has a big heart. He loves his family and has a great connection with them… I'm attracted to him that's for sure, have been since Day One…

But that's not going to stop me from messing with him. Because messing with Tadashi is easily my favorite pass time. I rush out of the communal bathroom and head straight toward the cafeteria, phasing through a few walls and doors when I'm sure no one is around and there's no cameras on me. I just hope that I can get there before Tadashi does. I quickly take out my phone as I run, barely even glancing down to dial Hiro's number.

" _Hello this is Hiro Hamada, how can I help you?"_

"Wow sounding so grown up, _Hero._ But quick, what's Tadashi's favorite sandwich? Tuna on rye?"

" _Uhh yeah?"_

"That's what I thought, thanks."

I quickly hang up just as I make it to the cafeteria. I dodge the few people that are left in it and quickly head straight to the sandwich area. I know exactly what I'm looking for now. I jump over a few stray textbooks and chairs, not losing sight of the target. It's not long before I'm paying for the _last_ tuna on rye sandwich. This is going to be too good. My hands are practically shaking with excitement as I plop down at one of the tables in the back near the trash can.

Now all I have to do is wait. The sandwich is laying on the table in front of me, untouched and still in saran wrap, as I take out my phone. I shouldn't have to wait too long, but it won't hurt to kill time until then.

 _From- Hiro the Hero_

 _Why did you want to know Dashi's fav. Sandwich don't tell me you've become a cook!? ;)_

I snort at the text slightly, shaking my head at what he was implying.

 _To- Hiro the Hero_

 _Yeah right. I can't even cook a hot pocket. And you'll see exactly what I'm planning…. (insert evil laughter)_

I follow the message up with an evil, devil-horned red emoticon before I send the message along with a picture of the sandwich, making sure that the label is seen. I can practically feel the confusion from Hiro as he sends me an array of multiple question marks, wondering just what it is I'm up to this time. I almost tell him, but at that moment, someone rushes into the cafeteria. He's missing his usual cap and his hair is a bit messy, but I know Tadashi when I see him. The ' _dad sweater dork'-_ I called him that once, in front of Hiro and to Tadashi's dismay, _Dad_ became his new nickname even in our group of friends. It's his own fault for wearing the sweaters and having that dad-like personality. And I know a dad sweater when I see them. Hell, I wear a few myself in the colder months. Not that cold really bothers me, but it's for the aesthetic and to keep up the appearance of actually being a normal human.

Now that I think about it, I think I have that exact sweater somewhere in my luggage. Shit. I'm probably going to have to buy a whole new wardrobe soon with winter coming up. Either that or I'm going to have to deal with so much shit from Tadashi. I can see it now. He's going to be call me _Dad_ the whole winter just because of the sweaters…. I don't really think that I have enough money to buy more sweaters, so I think I'll just stick to my leather jacket until it starts snowing. I think that should keep me safe for now.

Oh it looks like Tadashi has noticed that his precious sandwich is missing. He has a frantic look on his face as he searches the counter top for any missing tuna sandwiches. Time to act. I carefully unwrap the sandwich and just like I have predicated, the sound of the saran wrap has gotten Tadashi's attention. His head whips to me so quick I'm almost surprise that he doesn't have whiplash. His eyes first go to me and if I'm not mistaken, there's a bit of hesitation on his face as if he's not sure if he wants to come over here and chat me up or not. But then he sees his sandwich, unwrapped and in my hands.

Inwardly, I'm cackling. This has to be one of the best things I have ever thought of doing. I lock eyes with Tadashi as I take the first bite of the sandwich.

God I forgot how disgusting that tuna on rye is but seeing the absolutely brokenness on his face is worth it. I'm so glad that I'm able to get a picture of that face to send to Hiro. I think I'm going to make that picture Tadashi's contact pic in my phone too.

* * *

The best part is for the rest of the day, Tadashi gets all flustered around me and he still hasn't had the chance of doing anything back to me since we've both been busy with our own projects. By the time that I'm heading to the cafe, I feel about as giddy as a blue bird. I know that one day, somehow, Tadashi may find a way to get me back. But I doubt that's going to happen unless Hiro decides to betray me. Considering that I ended up getting a picture of all the faces he made at me throughout the day and sent them to Hiro, I doubt Hiro is going to switch sides any time soon.

As soon as I enter the cafe, the first thing that catches my eye is the _help wanted_ sign. I mean, I knew that they were going to need help eventually. But the fact that they actually put up a sign is kind of funny to me. Because I am sure that they know that if they really want help, they could have just called me. Shaking my head, I take the sign down just as Aunt Cass spots me from her place from behind the counter- apparently she had been busying herself by cleaning the dishes…. Damn it. They have me calling her Aunt Cass now….

We meet eyes and I wave the _help wanted_ sign a bit with an _are you serious_ look before I gesture to myself, signaling that _hello I can work_ here. She seems to understand my meaning, even if it takes a second before it processes, as she scrambles over to me with an excited yelp and a grin. She's tripping on her own feet so much that when she reaches me, I have to set the sign down in favor for catching her before she falls. It takes a minute but I'm eventually able to let her go as she gains her balance again. A frantic expression is on her face and her hair is a bit messy as she brushes her hands on her aprons to get any muck and dirt off. With that taken care of, I find myself in a bone crushing hug as she squeezes me.

"Oh Danny, I should have thought about just calling you to see if you can help out instead of that sign- not that the sign is any help because no one who has come in with an application is exactly Lucky Cat Cafe compatible but _you_. You are absolutely perfect and this is _perfect_. Thank you so much! If you can, just show up tomorrow at the same time you usually do- that's about lunch time- and if you can't make it call and this is going to be so much _fun_!~"

She gives me one last, long hard squeeze before she lets me go, still screaming a bit in excitement as she zips off to finish the dishes, leaving me standing there a bit dazed. I… I think I just got hired? With Aunt Cass, it's really hard to tell sometimes. I stand there, blinking a bit blankly before I shake my head. Well. I guess I'll be here around my usual time tomorrow to work then.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Aunt Cass hired you?"

I glance to see Hiro entering the cafe with a small amused smirk on his face as he eyes Aunt Cass. She's humming and dancing to herself as she cleans the dishes, oblivious to everything and everyone as she gets caught up in her own little world. I shrug my shoulders a bit,

"I… I think so."

Hiro laughs and pats me on the back with a grin,

"Don't worry, we all have trouble understanding her sometimes."

He's still laughing at bit as I finally get a good look at him. I wonder why he's just now entering the cafe when he should be helping out. But as soon as my eyes fall on the small bot he's carrying, I know my answer. I never waver from staring at it as I sigh a bit,

"Hiro..."

He catches on what I'm looking at and as if I would take the bot away from him, he holds it a bit closer to himself. A slightly defensive expression on his face.

"You're the one who said that I can do anything I want to."

At times like these, Hiro reminds me a bit of what I was like back when I was his age. Thirteen. Before ghost powers. Doing well in school, excellently even, and bordering on genius, especially when it came to anything related to ghost weaponry. But I still skipped class every now and then. Coming home _just_ before curfew and pushing limits. Occasionally stumbling upon the older students doing drugs or smoking on school grounds- I never really joined them, per say, but they have offered me some more than once, which I declined. Well. Usually declined.

Then I was fourteen. Suddenly no more messing around. I struggled with my grades and social life as I battled ghosts on a daily basis. Losing sleep because I had to fight ghosts. Missing curfew completely and getting chewed out for it. No more stumbling upon the older students who did the more illegal things because there I was, spending nearly every second of every day fighting ghosts like some sort of slightly illegal ghostly vigilante.

By my current age, aside from things ghostly related, my own personal life has been a field of doing _mostly_ morally correct things, but littered with the occasional hook up, smoke and like two experiences with drugs. I even had a few slightly illegal gambling rings that I've been too- though that particular incident was related to a ghost who had a strange obsession with gambling and cards. I don't think I ever really got everything together until the Battle started and things got _very_ serious, _very_ quickly.

At this point, criticizing Hiro for bot fighting would be really hypocritical of me. Besides, I did encourage him to make his own path.

" _If_ it doesn't hurt you or yourself," I chime, "I mean, I don't exactly like you doing anything illegal either, but I'd be lying if I said I never did anything that was outside the law."

Hiro scrunches his nose up at my words, still cradling the bot to his chest, a bit of defiance shining through.

"I haven't hurt anyone."

I quirk an eyebrow and move a bit closer to him, going as far as bending down to be more on his level as I put an arm around his shoulders as if we're in a secret meeting. He eyes me cautiously, careful to move his bot so that I wouldn't be able to just snatch it away so easy. Pft. If I really wanted to snatch that bot, I would done so by now. Dropping my voice down to a whisper, with a heavy heart, I gesture toward Aunt Cass.

"Are you sure about that? Suddenly disappearing? Coming home at late hours? Putting off the work you're supposed to be doing for the cafe? Not giving her a solid explanation for it all? Ditching school? Take a good look at her and tell me you're not hurting anyone."

We both stare at her for a second and I hope he sees what I sees. A worn, worried motherly woman with bags under her eyes and stress related wrinkles. A happy grin on her face to hide the absolute concern and uncertainty in her eyes- the eyes of a woman who doesn't know how to raise kids but is trying so hard to do her best. And I know I see something else that Hiro never will. Her aura. Her aura is thinning away from stress, but still shines bright as ever.

I can see the small bubble of guilt in Hiro's eyes as his grasp on his bot loosens and he slumps forward a bit. Seeing that genuinely didn't mean to hurt anyone, I give him a small side hug,

"Just be careful, okay Hiro? She really loves you and is worried sick about you on top of all the stress she gets here at work. And Tadashi is getting worried too, I'm sure and even I worry sometimes about you because I've seen where bot fights take place and who bot fights and it's not exactly a safe, pretty image. I'm not saying that you should stop bot fighting all together, because that's your choice. I'm just saying that you have to be a bit more considerate of those around you, okay?"

I think I got through to him this time. Hopefully anyway. I watch a bit fondly as he gives me a small smile before zipping off to Aunt Cass, no doubt to ask what he can do to help. I shake my head a bit and turn on my heels to head out, not wanting to disturb Aunt Cass and Hiro. This is their moment after all. Their family moment. And I'm not part of their family. Our auras, our _souls_ , are forming that bond, sure, and I am thinking of them like family, but I know my boundaries. I know that this is something more personal for them and it's not something I should intrude on.

Only I come face to face with Tadashi. He leans against the doorway with his arms crossed. For once, I can't really read what he's thinking and his face is a bit expressionless or confused as if he's not too sure how to feel himself. It takes a moment before he finally even talks to me.

"I heard what you said," he speaks up, a bit softly so he's not overheard, "Not all of it, but I did catch the gist of it…."

I give him a small nod, acknowledging his comment before I make my way past him. I can't help but be a tiny bit tense. A part of me is concerned if he thinks I spoke out of line or something. The last thing I want to do is make Tadashi mad at me and I mean _really_ mad at me not just the whole _ghost-no-ghost_ spiel. I don't think I could handle it if Tadashi actually got genuinely _pissed_ at me, especially if it was over something like family matters. Someone intruding on family matters is not easily forgiven and not easily forgotten.

I don't even make it out the door. Tadashi gently reaches out and clasps my shoulder to stop me. There's something shining in his eyes. Thankfulness? Relief? Respect? It seems like some sort of strange mix of all three and then some in a way that makes me flush a bit as he smiles softly at me.

"Thanks, Danny…. I…. I think he needed to hear that."

I try to tell him it's no problem, but I end up stuttering so much I don't think he can understand me. He just laughs lightly at me, shaking his head in amusement as I struggle to even so much as speak. I'm still a stammering mess as I try to make my escape out the door, wishing I could just go invisible or sink through the floor to disappear. All I can really do is clumsily walk backwards as I try to contain my eyesight on Tadashi. I don't even have the sense to turn intangible as my side rams into the door way. That's what I get for admiring Tadashi and walking backwards.

Shit. I can still hear his laughter as I all but _run_ down the sidewalk.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Hello! Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites and follows. I appreciate all of the support for the story, especially since it's not exactly a common pairing.**

 **There were a few guest reviews (removed because it was flames and completely irrelevant) that said some particular shit about it being slash and calling me a few choice names that I don't really care for (and found _extremely_ offensive at that). So just to make one thing clear to everyone, any flames/hate will be deleted- I really don't have time for that mess/headache.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER ELEVEN**

* * *

 _ **Tadashi Hamada**_

The good news is that, for once, I'm actually able to come down to the cafe early so that Aunt Cass and Hiro don't have to do it alone. It'll give me a chance to help them when the lunch rush hits later too. Not to mention that this gives me a chance to really bond with Hiro too. I feel kind of bad for always being away at college, but I have to admit that I feel a bit better about it knowing how many times Danny comes in here during lunch to converse and help out. Sometimes I wonder why Danny just doesn't work here with how much time he spends here.

Hmm. Now there's a thought. Danny working here. That would be pretty nice. I mean, it'd help Aunt Cass out a lot. Motivate Hiro to help out and give Hiro someone to talk to. But on the other hand, if Danny worked here, I don't know if I'd get any work done. I'd be an absolute mess. _An absolute mess…_ I think back to yesterday and Danny's 'graceful' exit. He was the most flustered I had ever seen him. I have to admit it's… cute. Adorable even. How he gets so flustered and can't seem to even move or think straight, stuttering over his words as a blush covers his face.

I sigh a bit wistfully, a blush of my own on my cheeks. I barely even register the fact that I'm just leaning against the mop with a lovey-dovey expression on my face until Hiro comes by and gently pushes the mop with his fingertip with a cheeky grin on his face. I don't even know what he's doing until the mop plops down and the sudden loss of balance causes me to plop down as well. Hiro bursts into laughter.

"Bro, I love you, but if this is how flustered you get just thinking about Danny working here, I can't wait to see how well you do today when he actually _does_ start working here."

I scramble to my feet at his words, my eyes widening in panic. Did I hear him right? Is Danny actually going to be working here? With us? With me? Together? My heart is creating a whole new beat in my chest. Hiro is still laughing at me as I grip his shoulders tight with absolute panic taking over me.

"What," my voice cracks, "Why hasn't anyone told me this? I'm _hurt,_ _betrayed."_

I make various dramatic faces and gestures with my words, hoping maybe if I joke about it it'll stop the fluttering in my stomach. Hiro laughs and gently shoves me off of him,

" _That's_ why I told Aunt Cass I had already told you- this reaction is priceless."

I pout at my younger brother, my bottom lip puffing out slightly. Hiro is still laughing at me, a big cheeky grin on his face. The traitor. He has betrayed me. My own flesh and blood.

"Wow, I knew you were a little shit Hiro, but waiting to tell Tadashi that I'm working here until the _very last second_. I'm impressed."

Danny's voice cuts through me clearly causing me to flush as I turn to face him, embarrassed that he caught Hiro and I's exchange. He no doubt saw the faces I made too. So much for maybe impressing him. But he just stands there with a big grin on his face, his eyes twinkling as he catches Hiro into a headlock and ruffles his hair. Hiro is laughing as he mockingly protests the notion before Danny finally lets him go.

Hiro teasingly sticks his tongue out at Danny before he runs off to go do his own work…. I really should be working too, honestly, but it's kind of hard when Danny is still there. Just staring at me. With that smirk and those eyes.

"So, where's my apron," Danny questions, but his eyes are still looking me up and down in a way that makes me flush.

"I… Uh… There."

I motion toward the area behind the counter causing Danny to click his tongue with a wink before he goes to get his apron. Shit. He hasn't even been working here for two minutes an already I'm a mess.

This is going either going to be lots of fun or absolute hell.

* * *

It's hell. It's total and absolute hell. All because of Danny. Every chance he gets, he's teasing me in some way or another. A suggestive face or two. A smack on the butt that would have been sexual harassment if it was unwanted (though I would never admit that to Danny- he has enough fuel to tease me as it is). A few casual comments that make me an absolute blushing mess. Sometimes, it's not intentional. Our hands grazing when we reach for the same thing. A few intense, almost loving sighs and glances. Sparks that are ignited when he just gives me that damn smirk. Intentional or not, I have a blush to last a life time.

Occasionally he makes faces at me that are just absolutely goofy; Hiro had even joined him and then it was just all three of us making faces at each other before Aunt Cass reminded us we did have work to do. A few times he made faces behind customers back to see if I would burst into laughter as I spoke to them… It worked. Twice. Until Aunt Cass snapped at him- and even then, she was laughing a bit herself.

At least now it's all over. The cafe is all closed up. Everyone has gone home. I can finally relax. I let out a sigh of relief and lean against the wall. I know I probably reek by now from all the sweat. I look like a hot mess, I can just feel it. Yet as I glance toward Danny, who is happily chatting with Hiro a bit away from me, he doesn't seem to have a single hair out of place. Nor does he even seem to be hot. I swear sometimes that guy is like a walking freezer.

The thought causes me to stop for a moment, furrowing my brows slightly as I muse to myself. Now that I think about it, he really _is_ a freezer. Every single time I've had contact with the guy, his hands have been _absolutely freezing._ Even after he worked on his 'portal', including some work with a wielder, he was still _cold as hell_ and didn't even seem to sweat. Though a part of me is slightly worried about a possible medical condition such as dysautonomia, I can't help but think he's in perfect health and this just adds to his strange mysteriousness. Because that certainly isn't the only strange thing about Danny that I've noticed- I've noticed enough to even make me think that maybe Fred actually has an accurate nickname for him. Casper. I may not believe in ghosts, but I have to admit that if I ever had to say what I thought a ghost would be like, I think Danny would fit the description.

I shake those thoughts out of my head. There's nothing wrong with Danny. He's just a normal, slightly strange, guy. But he's perfectly healthy. He's normal. He's kind. He's strong. God is he an amazing guy. I give myself a light slap on my face to try to focus back on reality. Somehow, every time Danny is involved, I always end up losing myself in my own little world.

I glance toward Hiro and Danny. There's a thoughtful look on Hiro's face as he seems to be musing over whatever Danny just said, a finger resting on his chin. No doubt that Hiro is questioning Danny, in detail, about his project. Thankfully, judging from Danny's face and movements, he seems to have nothing but the uttermost patience toward Hiro and his questions. If anything, they seem to excite him as his eyes twinkle.

"-So what you're saying," I catch Hiro saying, "Is that this parallel universe you're trying to get to, this Ghost Zone, has all sorts of ghosts? Some that were never really people or animals here in our world in the first place?"

Huh. That… Doesn't make much sense. I mean, it may make sense since it's a different universe, theoretically, so they could all just be a separate species all together that happens to mimic what we consider ghosts and- Shit. I stop that train of though as soon as I catch on what I'm doing. I am not going to get wrapped up into this conversation.

"Uh yes and no," Danny winces, rubbing the back of his neck in thought, "It's pretty complicated. Basically, this dimension we do have ghosts. Other dimensions that aren't ours have ghosts too. All ghosts thrive on ectoplasm and since there's not much ectoplasm in our dimension and others, they're left being nothing more than the very stereotypical ghost. That's where the Ghost Zone comes in. The Ghost Zone is where ectoplasm comes from. Ghosts from our dimension and other dimensions flock to the Ghost Zone- not all of them, granted, but some do and it's enough from all the dimensions that the Ghost Zone is pretty freakin' _huge."_

"So," Danny continues, "Ghosts from all sorts of dimensions enter in the Ghost Zone and because they're suddenly being really overcharged, it can cause _dramatic_ physical changes to their appearance, some may not even look like they did when they were alive. These changes can cause fanatical designs- strangely colored skin, flaming hair, the list goes on, as well as give them a more edge. Ghosts in our dimension and others that are very low powered have to stay invisible and intangible- they can't turn solid, they can't let us see them. The ones that do just have some extra juice. So the Ghost Zone makes them so overly charged that they can stay solid and seen as long as they want. Ghosts that venture out of the Ghost Zone eventually have to return to recharge."

Strange. Sounds like Danny has had some really personal experiences with these so-called ghosts from this Ghost Zone to know so much about them. If he's telling the truth that is…. And if they're even real in the first place. But he sounds so matter-of-fact that I'm inclined to at least partly believe him, or believe that at least he thinks he's telling the truth anyway.

"However," Danny continues, "Since the Ghost Zone is constantly streaming with all of these ectoplasm it causes sentient beings to form. Beings that ghosts in the sense that they're made from ectoplasm, but not in the sense that they were once alive. Such beings can look like anything of any size with any range of powers not common to the normal ghost from other dimensions. The ectoplasm also causes physics to go all wonky and what we consider normal is different there."

I'm really not sure how Danny knows all of this if he is doing mostly theoretical work on a dimension that we don't even have a way to yet. Millions of questions are going through my mind about this and I inwardly curse at myself for even getting so involved. Either way, Hiro seems to be soaking up every word Danny says, believing all of it with a nod of his head and a thoughtful expression.

"So," Hiro speaks up softly, "We do have ghosts here… Like actual ghosts? Ghosts of people we know? Like...family members?"

His voice almost breaks as he looks up with Danny with pleading eyes. My heart just breaks realizing what it is that Hiro is hoping for. I've denied the existence of ghosts because of our parents' death, yet here Hiro is wanting nothing else but to fully believe in it because of their deaths. Danny's expression softens and there's a reminiscing gleam in his eyes as he pauses briefly. That pause reminds me that Danny lost his parents too- recently at that- and my heart clenches.

"Yeah," Danny finally whispers, "It doesn't happen all the time, but it happens. A lot of the time, ghosts like that tend to just stick to family and don't leave to the Ghost Zone, leaving them to be pretty powerless and weak…."

"So it's like they're not even here at all," Hiro chimes glumly, his face dropping.

Danny leans down and puts his hand on Hiro's shoulder,

"No. They're here, Hiro, and we can _feel_ it. A mother's comforting presence on our bad nights. A soft whisper in the wind. How sometimes you can still hear their voice. When we're nervous or scared or need to know that everything's going to be okay, we can feel it. I like to believe that all of that is them still with us, comforting us and loving us the best they can…. We may not be able to see them, but they can still see, and hear us, and I think that's enough."

He gave Hiro's shoulder a comforting squeeze before he stood up. I can see the tears shining in both of their eyes as they muse over all of it themselves. I wipe at my own eyes with the back of my hand, knowing too well just what Danny means. Countless times have I felt like that. Felt as if Mom was there with me, comforting me, especially on the nights when I wondered if I was a good brother to Hiro. Sometimes I still think I hear her singing a lullaby to me.

Hiro nods a bit solemnly and as if a switch went off, Danny's own solemn expression changes into a happy one as he smiled at Hiro.

"But that's enough talk about that for today," Danny laughs and ruffles Hiro's hair, "We can talk more about this later, but I don't want that big head of yours to explode."

Hiro's attitude changes at the joke and he laughs along with Danny, swatting at his hands to get him to stop before he heads off upstairs. With Hiro gone, I finally approach Danny. There's no tension or awkward silence, just an odd peaceful nostalgic feeling in the air.

It's moments like this that I can really feel some sort of connection with Danny, something I can't really explain and something I don't really understand. It's as if we just _get_ each other. Like we both understand each other. A feeling that I get with Hiro and Aunt Cass, but this is just something _deeper, more intimate._ I'm almost disappointed when the silence gets broken.

"No arguing comments to add," Danny chimes as he glances at me through the corners of his eyes.

"No, not this time," I shake my head with a small disbelieving smile.

I see the small smile on Danny's lips as he looks at me with a bit of amusement,

"Well that's a first. Don't tell me you got hit in the head or something?"

I snort at the thought, though he has every right to question me since I've been nothing but argumentative since Day One.

"No," I shake my head, "I guess… I guess that talk with Hiro is making me think about ghosts now…. You might make a believer out of me yet, Danny. Maybe."

Oh boy. Danny turns completely and faces with me. His eyes are wide and his mouth is gaping like he can't believe he actually just heard that come from me. He starts gesturing erratically with his hands, making strange noises of excitement as he bounces up down… After a second, he's just clinging to me as if I'm the greatest thing since sliced bread with a giddy expression. I just opened a _huge can_ of worms, I can just feel it.

The real question is, what horrors did I just unleash?


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Oh boy for some reason I just had so much trouble writing this chapter. It's strange since usually it comes a bit more naturally so I hope it reads well and not forced. Please review and thank you for all the favorites/follows!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWELVE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I'm legit so close to actually screaming from sheer excitement. I hope that Tadashi realizes that even admitting there's a possibility of ghosts is opening something _huge_ with me. Even the others (aside from Fred who is very enthusiastic of reading my research papers about ghosts and theoretical papers but he doesn't _get it_ ) don't really consider the possibility of ghosts- sure Honey Lemon admits _maybe_ it's possible, but it's pretty clear she's only saying that to spare my feelings and Wasabi is just downright _horrified_ at the mention of ghosts. None of them are really ones I can talk to, in depth, about my project and my passion and know it's going to be a two-way conversation.

Hiro is someone I can talk to, to a degree, but he's still just a kid and I can't really get into the gritty details about ghosts and death with him. But with Tadashi… Tadashi is someone I can really converse about it with, professionally, without arguing now, and hopefully we can get the ball rolling. Maybe he'll even be able to help me with the paper. I'm just so psyched about this. Totally and utterly _psyched._

 _B_ _ut first, breakfast._ I strut into the _Lucky Cat Cafe,_ knowing full well that Tadashi won't be there. Despite it being such an unholy hour of the morning, I know for a fact that Tadashi is already there getting to work. Like me, he works almost _constantly._ Which is why I just have to get us breakfast. Or rather get him breakfast. I will be more than content with just a drink to give me a perk in my step. For a moment, I think it's a rather good thing that the drink has a high dose of caffeine rather than just a high dose of sugar. I don't think I want to get a sugar rush anytime soon- _again_ anyway.

The cafe is a bit empty this early and I suspect that she probably just now opened since she's just lingering behind the counter cleaning the top of it. She's humming a bit to herself and dancing to a song only she can hear. She seems to be really into it, enough that she doesn't even notice that I'm here. Amused, I give a large cheeky smirk,

"Good morning Aunt Cass!"

My voice startles her, causing her to jump. She clutches her chest with a feign hurt expression. Well. At least I know where Tadashi gets that from now.

"Danny, you just about gave me a heart attack," she tsks at me, "Just what are you doing here this early? Most young men like sleeping in."

I give her a cheeky grin as I stroll toward the counter.

"You should know by now that I'm not the typical guy, Aunt Cass. And I came here to get my usual drink and whatever Tadashi usually gets for breakfast because we both know that he left here without eating anything again."

I haven't even seen or heard from him today and I know he hasn't eaten breakfast. Tadashi rarely eats breakfast. According to Hiro, he does eat at the cafe every once in a while when he has time, but most of the time he has to leave and ends up eating at the college. Aunt Cass gives me a long, hard suggestive look and I don't like that gleam in her eyes. That gleam is really, really uncomfortable. Like she knows something or is up to something. I shift a bit on my feet and wow is it suddenly a bit warmer in here or is it just me?

"Hmmm," Cass hums, "And just why are you getting Tadsahi breakfast?"

I… My mind goes black. This woman is reverting me back to my old fourteen year old, stuttering self as I flush and stutter over my words, unable to really give her an answer.

"I… Uhh… W-We're w-working… t-together?"

It seems like it's eternity for me to just get that one sentence out. She hums at me with a small knowing smirk, her eyes glistening,

" _~Oh is that what the kids are calling it nowadays?"_

Oh God. I can feel my face is the same temperature as a furnace at this rate. Aunt Cass laughs at the expression on my face, so hard that I think that she's going to end up crying.

"Oh _unclench,_ Danny," Aunt Cass laughs, "I'm kidding, I promise…."

I have my doubts about that.

* * *

I'm practically _dancing_ my way to the lab. Though I think that's partly because I'm still just happy that I got away from Aunt Cass. That woman can be so embarrassing when she wants to be and she's not even my aunt! I almost feel sorry for Tadashi and Hiro.

I burst into the lab with a huge, giddy grin on my face. One arm is carrying all of my notebooks and supplies while the other is balancing a tray of two coffees (both labeled because it'd be pretty dangerous if mine got mixed up with Tadashi's) and a couple of breakfast burritos from the cafe. My eyes scan the room, barely even noticing that I have scared a few people by suddenly bursting in at such an early hour- from the looks of things there's maybe six people in the room total, before I finally spot Tadashi, whose lingering by my lab. Aw. How cute. He was waiting for me. I make a small _cute_ face at him, crinkling my nose a bit. Isn't he just adorable? Lingering around my lab like that, pretending he's just looking around at my stuff, trying not to act like he's waiting for me. Adorable.

I manage to sneak my way up to him as he observes some of the stuff on my work table, his back to me. I wait until he has a stray wrench in his hand with a thoughtful expression before I finally make myself known.

"Hiya, 'Dashi," I greet cheerfully and loudly, causing him to jump as he drops the wrench.

He stumbles in his place, clutching his chest as if I just gave him a heart attack. If looks could kill, I'm sure I'd be dead. He looks so _insulted_ that I did that. I can't help but give him my signature cheeky grin in response. I hold out his breakfast to him, my grin never faltering,

"Dude, chill, I don't mind you looking at some of the stuff as long you don't touch the chemicals or shit. And I come with a peace offering."

Tadashi hesitantly takes the offering, eying it suspiciously. I give him a dry look as he sniffs at the burrito and the bag as if I've spit in it. Fine. If he doesn't want to eat it, he can go hungry then. Carelessly, I plop down in one of the chairs in my station, setting my drink on the table as I bite eagerly into my own breakfast burrito.

I glance to Tadashi to see that he's at least eating the burrito now and seems pretty pleased with it to. Good. Still chewing a bit of my own food with reluctance- the lack of ectoplasm makes it harder for me to digest but _damn_ _does it taste good-,_ I adjust all of my research notebooks relating to ghosts and the portal between my lap and the table, glancing through a few papers here and there to figure out what Tadashi should read first.

I nearly choke on my food from sheer excitement when I find the one that Tadashi just _has_ to read first. My noise causes him to glance at me with a bit of caution and concern as I rapidly tap the notebook.

"This one, here," I shove the notebook into his hands with a giddy expression on my face and my eyes shining, "You have to read this one first."

Tadashi eyes the rest of the many notebooks I have with me, along with actual books, as he cautiously takes the one that's offered to him.

"Are… Are those all for me to read?"

I can almost see him screaming from just his eyes. But I'm too excited to share all of this that I can't even bring myself to care. I am so willing to share all of this with someone, anyone, _him._ If anything for someone to _at least_ double check my own work for corrections.

"Yep," I chirp happily, "Some are even my parents' personal research notes that started the basis for this whole project. But that particular one will give you the run-down on the Ghost Zone and the science behind ectoplasm, which is the basis _for everything_ involving ghosts. After that, we have a few books and even some of my own notebooks."

"-You do realize that reading just your own notes and your parents may make everything a bit bias," Tadashi points out, "And if I read everything, I'm not really getting a second opinion on anything-"

"-Because you will _be_ the second opinion," I stress, "Tadashi, I really want to talk to someone, talk to _you_ about it because you're the only one I really can talk to. I know you'll have a more open mind to arguments about it and I'm okay with that as long as you don't overdue it and we don't fight. I want someone that I can _really_ converse with about this stuff. Who will challenge my theories, challenge _me."_

Oh boy. I can't help but let those words come out. I do want someone to challenge me on this stuff, just not be completely against it like Tadashi was before. I need a second opinion _whose open to ghosts,_ but not afraid of challenging my own theories or offer new ones. It doesn't mean we'll argue, but it means we can get everything rolling, exchange things back and forth, talk about death and what it means.

I'm pleading with him by the time I finish talking, looking at him wide eyes and a small pout. He flushes a bit, awkwardly coughing into his elbow before he takes a seat beside me. I let out a small cheer at his acceptance, throwing my arm around his shoulder and bringing him into a tight, sided hug- that's almost causing our chairs to fall as I do so.

"Thanks 'Dashi, you're the best!"

Tadashi gives me a sputtering response, his face still beat red as I continue to hug him. He may or may not have almost choked on a bite of his burrito because of me but I don't have time to dwell on it as our tipping chairs cause us both to fall to the ground in a tumble. I can't help but laugh as we end up the floor, the chairs on top of us and entangled slightly with each other. It's a good thing I didn't accidentally go intangible, but this is just hilarious to me.

Tadashi looks amused as he looks at me,

"…. Can you ever do something without completely wrecking it?"

I give him a cheeky grin as I laugh, filled with confidence as I give him my answer.

"Nope."

* * *

The rest of our little 'group' enter the lab later in the morning. So much later that it's barely even considered morning anymore.

To be honest, I barely even notice them all entering since I'm so engaged with Tadashi. We both sit in my section of the lab, our chairs facing each other, exchanging notes, going over blueprints, talking about ghosts, the afterlife, theories, _everything_. I've been this excited to have just a single conversation with someone in a while. I can even see our auras starting to entwine and mold together like some sort of mosaic or art piece. It's clear to me that Tadashi is pretty engrossed in our conversation as well, not even offering a hello to our friends as his attention is firmly on me. We even continue with our conversation as if it's nothing.

But apparently it's not just _nothing_. At least not to our friends. From the corner of my eyes, I can see them just standing there gaping at Tadashi and I as if we're aliens. Even GoGo has a bit of surprise on her face as she eyes us, her bubble gum bubble popping.

"...Am I dreaming," I catch Wasabi's voice speak up, "Or are they actually getting along? You guys see it too, right?"

"Yep," GoGo pops the _p._

I can see the others are just a bit too stunned to even give a reply, causing me to let out a loud laugh. If I knew that they would react this way to Tadashi and I being civil, maybe I would have tried to be civil sooner just to get this reaction.

"Come on guys," I laugh, "Don't act so shocked. He apologized, I apologized, and we let bygones be bygones. Besides, he may not believe in ghosts but he's open to it and not just tearing me down and I'm not going out of my way to screw him over so we're good."

They all share glances between each other in disbelief as if they think I'm lying. I'm hurt. Wounded. My own friends? I give them a feign hurt expression, putting my hand over my heart,

"You don't believe me?"

"With good reason," Tadashi chimes in, nudging me slightly, "You're a total shit, Danny, and you know it."

Am I little shit? No, of course no- wait, no I can't even lie to myself. Yes. Yes I am a little shit.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**I meant to upload this a lot sooner and make it a lot longer but with school and work, my time's been pretty tight lately, not to mention some minor health issues (sleep deprivation mostly) and stress. So I apologize for the wait and for the shortness of the chapter, but I hope you all enjoy!**

 **CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I walk to my room with half of a sandwich in my mouth, munching on it happily with a cup of Cass' coffee in my hand. With Wasabi spending the day in the lab, I can work a bit more on some of my more private projects in the bedroom. I still have a few blueprints I need to go over. Maybe even conduct a few experiments on myself again. I glance briefly toward my arm. The previous experiment left a faint scar, but it healed up nice and quick. Just like I expected it to.

But when I open the door to my room, I choke on my food as I see Tadashi there. He's very casually sitting at my desk, spinning on the chair with a bored expression on his face with his feet propped up.

"T-Tadashi," I gasp, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what the hell are you doing here?"

Oh God. How long has he been up here? Alone? Who knows what he saw or what he went through? I try to swallow down my panic as I feel it rising. I have to act like nothing is wrong. Like I don't have anything to hide like, oh I don't know, the _drawer of a ghost containment device and a notebook full of experiments that I've conducted on myself._ I have remembered to put a lock on the drawer, but the fear of someone finding it is still there. I have no idea how I'd explain that notebook. Or worse, what if they opened the thermos and released any ghosts that were in it that I've forgotten to put up? Explaining a notebook full of self-experiments that border on insane and it's another thing entirely to explain just what the hell got out of a _thermos._ Granted, it would make them believe in ghosts, but there is just so much danger that they could be put it in.

"Well, I thought I'd come by to visit," Tadashi flushes slightly, coughing a bit awkwardly, "but you weren't here so I just… waited. I haven't touched anything, I swear!"

I let out a sigh of relief and plop down on my bed near the desk, finishing off the sandwich and drink before tossing my trash. I'm inclined to believe him. Tadashi isn't one to lie. Relaxing, I ease onto the bed, slouching forward a bit as I look to him, a playful smirk on my lips as my eyes twinkle.

"~A visit," I tease, "in my bedroom~all alone~ Why that's _scandalous, Tadashi_ _simply scandalous."_

Tadahsi flushes at my teasing, running his fingers through his hair with a bit of a sputter.

"I- eh- I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk about your project. Or whatever else it is you're working on, " he gestures toward the blueprints nearby with a slightly curious expression, "Or my project or just whatever… Man, is it hot in here or is it just me?"

He coughs a bit and pulls at his collar as I watch him amused. It's just him. But then again, I don't think I would notice it's really hot in here or not. So to stay on the safe side, I let my ice powers cool the room down a bit. Enough to be comfortable, hopefully, but not enough that he'll be suspicious or see his own breath. I can see that it almost instantly has an effect on him as he visibly cools down, his face turning back to a more normal tone as he shivers slightly.

"I uhh guess it's not as cold as I thought it was, maybe it was just me."

Heh. Sure Tadashi, let's go with that. I scratch at the back of my neck a bit nervously and glance around the room. I have got to find some way to change the subject soon. Thankfully, I don't have to say a thing as Tadashi coughs before changing the subject. He eyes my blueprints that are rolled up by my desk with interest,

"So," Tadashi rubs his hands together a bit nervously, "Just what else are you working on? All I ever really hear you talk about is the portal…?"

"I don't always talk about the portal," I huff a bit as I move from my place on the bed toward the blueprints, "I talk about other stuff too."

I grumble a bit under my breath about how I talk about plenty of other things like my family, him, and… Yeah that's all I got really that's not ghost related. Damn it. Tadashi you won this round. I search through the blueprints to find one that I want to talk about with him. I obviously can't talk about just _any of the projects._ Maybe the thermos? Wait no. I got it. With a small _ah-hah,_ I pull out the blueprint with wide, fascinated eyes as I turn to Tadashi. I can tell from that gleam in his eyes that he's trying not to laugh at my obvious over excitement.

I quickly spread the blueprint across the desk proudly, thus allowing him to see _Spectral Noise Filter_ that's printed in large bold letters at the top. The Fenton Spectral Noise Filter is something of my own design. It's similar to the Fenton Phones in the way that they filter out spectral noise, thus not allowing anyone to, for example, fall under Ember's influence (or another ghost's for that matter). But it's more like an upgraded version of the Fenton Phones that not only filters out different levels and spectrums of spectral noise and acts as a walkie-talkie, but also as a _real_ translator similar to the Ghost Gabber. It takes the spectral noises of Ghost Speak and translates it into English, Spanish or another language of choice. It also can produce a noise that actually _repels_ ghosts to disorientate them that way someone can get away.

Tadashi's eyes roam over the blueprint, taking in every single margin, note, measurement, and design with a critical expression on his face. It seems like forever before he finally speaks up. He points to a small margin that mentions Ghost Speak and looks to me questionably,

"Ghost Speak? Run out of creativity there, Danny?"

I make a face at him, crinkling up my nose and sticking out my tongue briefly,

" _No._ It's just… Damn it, it's easy to remember, okay? Ghosts can do a lot of stuff, including influence people and speak their own language that's entitled _Ghost Speak_ , which is normally on a frequency that not only we can't hear, but can't understand because it sounds similar to static."

I tap the blueprint slightly,

"So _this_ will help with that. It translates that Ghost Speak into something we can both hear and understand as well blocks out that influence that some ghosts have. It also blocks out other spectral noise and works as a walkie-talkie between everyone who wears one. Very helpful when Ghost Hunting, believe me."

I can tell by the look on his face that he obviously doesn't just _believe me._ He almost seems to be having some sort of struggle, trying to find the words he wants to say, but ends up just sighing and giving me a _you're hopeless_ look without a negative comment.

"Okay… I… _Guess_ some part of that makes sense. _A little bit_ anyway…. Why would ghosts really influence people though? And just _how_ can they do that when we have free will?"

I hum a bit in thought, musing over different ways to answer the question.

"Sometimes ghosts influence people to satisfy whatever obsession they have- you know _obsessions_ are what make ghosts, _ghosts._ Unfinished business or unhealthy obsessions they had in real life, it varies. As to how they do that, every ghost is different. Some whisper in people's ears. Some play on people's fears and uncertainties or their _sorrow_. Even gain power from _feeding_ off of it."

I clench my fists slightly thinking about Spectra. That _bitch_ feeds off people's sorrow and just manipulates them. Out of all the ghosts, she, aside from Vlad, makes me the most _angry._ Just thinking about her is making my jaw tense. At least with the _Spectral Noise Filter,_ I won't be able to hear her if she ever shows her sorry face thus rendering her almost useless. If I get this done in time, that is. It takes me a second before I continue,

"Others possess people- or overshadowing, both terms work. Some manipulate people's auras- this device doesn't really help with that, but I have another device called the Spectre Deflector that will."

Tadashi hums a bit in thought over my words, nodding his head slightly before he stands up. He's still shaking his head slightly as he pats me on the shoulder,

"I guess the whole ghost-thing is a lot more complex than I gave it credit for. Kudos to you, Danny."

He flushes a bit as he pats me once more before heading out, calling over his shoulder that he'll be back later for us to discuss everything more in-depth. I can feel my own face heat up as I bury my head in my hands.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Woo-hoo got a chapter that's over 3,000 done within a week since the last update which is _amazing,_ especially considering how time-consuming my work and school have been. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! A bit more fluff between Tadashi and Danny is never a bad thing, plus some roommate fun with Wasabi and Danny!**

 **~CWA**

 **(P.S. Please review!)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I tap the pencil against the desk with a bored expression. It's been about an hour or two since Tadashi left, so that makes it about seven o'clock maybe. I don't even have the energy to look at the clock. As much as I hate to admit it, it kinda kills me that he hasn't returned when he said that he'd be back. With a sigh, I lean back in my chair as I make a face. Wasabi is going somewhere tonight- a date, I think actually, with some girl named Jade? I don't really remember since I was so zoned out and he kinda left in a hurry before I could get more details. I do know that I will interrogate him later when I have the energy to; right now, I don't even have the energy to drag myself to the cafe or the cafeteria for diner or a snack.

The door suddenly opens with a _bang_ causing me to jump with a small yelp. I glare toward whomever entered. Tadashi. He has a cheeky grin on his face as he bursts through the door with the bags of food that read _Lucky Cat Cafe_ in his arms. I can't even bring myself to be mad that he took so long since he brought food, but he has this look on his face that's really smug as if he's some sort of hero or saint or champion. Well. He's my hero that's for sure because I am _starving._ Sort of anyway because I can't exactly eat normal food. That still doesn't stop me from giving him an over dramatic sigh as I put my hand to my forehead,

"Tadashi, my hero! My savior! How _chivalrous~"_

He flushes a bit, grumbling under his breath as he brings the food over to the desk. I waste no time in trying to tear into the bags, but he swats my hands away as he pulls out a few paper plates from a bag and prepares both of our plates himself. He won't even let me help. He just swats me away and mumbles to just let him do it. A part of me is almost insulted as if he doesn't trust me. Pft. I don't blame him actually I can be a little shit. So I just pout at him as he rolls his eyes at me,

"If you're going to overly dramatic about me bringing food over for us to share, I'm just not going to do it."

I don't even have the chance to give him a witty reply as he shoves a plate into my hands. Oh it looks so good. Smells even better. I close my eyes and just inhale the scent. God it smells so delicious. I open my eyes and glance at him. Unluckily, he's paying pretty close attention to me and he's sitting on my bed. It'd be hard to sneak some ectoplasm onto the food without him knowing. Inwardly, I wince and take a large bite of the food…. If I die of food poisoning, then it was meant to be because this food is delicious and totally worth it.

"Hmmm," I moan slightly, "this is _delicious._ Aunt Cass really made this?"

Tadashi flushes at my words and avoids eye contact a bit as he glances toward his plate,

"I… I uh made it actually. Kind of why it took me so long. But I'm glad to hear you like it."

He made this? I'm actually kind of humbled that he went through so much trouble to make this food for us. Not to mention how nice it was for him to do this and it couldn't have been easy. I swallow down a domestic marriage-related joke that's threatening to come up and instead settle for just teasingly nudging him with a smirk.

"Wow, a genius in the lab _and_ the kitchen? Is there anything you can't do?"

"There's things I can't do," Tadashi tries to be humble as he shakes his head, brushing off my nudge, "I can't do a lot of stuff. I can't sew. Or sing for that matter. Or play any sort of musical instrument or anything else relating to the arts…."

For a second, I just sit there and stop eating enough to listen to him. Which works for me because as good as it is, it's probably saving me from a lot more food poisoning. But the way he just sits there, babbling as he lists things he can't do, things from sewing to singing to playing instruments to painting to drawing to writing good poems to writing good essays. The list goes on and on and on. Not being able to wake up when his alarm first goes off and has to set to three times to wake up on time. Not being able to rollar skate. I

It's clear to me that I accidentally hit a sore spot, which is to be expected I suppose. He's still human. All humans have insecurities and uncertainties. Tadashi, it seems, apparently likes to down play himself in order to not be 'perfect.' Something that people have made multiple comments about, even I've heard a few people make passing comments about Tadashi being perfect. It takes a toll on him.

I can understand that. To a degree anyway. As Phantom, everyone believed me to be the hero, the perfect savior, especially during the Battle. It's so much pressure to live up to expectations.

It's not until he mentions that he's not able to be a proper good brother do I finally speak up. With an understanding expression, I place a hand on my shoulder causing him to stop and look up at me with almost teary eyes.

"Tadashi," I speak softly, "I was kidding, okay? You're not a perfect person, I know that, but you're a damn good one for sure. And a good brother too. So just… stay humble, but don't just downplay yourself either okay? You be humble and still be proud of what you can do. Got it?"

He exhales with a small shuddering breath, but nods his head a bit. Smiling, I lean back in my seat.

"Now, how about we continue our discussion from earlier?"

* * *

We actually end up not spending the whole the time on the topic of ghosts. In fact, it doesn't take long for us to go from ghosts to Hiro to family to movies to watch to other various things. We're still munching on the food that he apparently cooked as we speak. Granted, I haven't ate that much of it save my stomach as much pain as I possible can save it from.

"So Danny," Tadashi speaks up as he looks over to me, "Any plans for Winter Break? It starts next week, I think."

I hum a bit as I think it over. To be honest, I haven't really thought about Winter Break. A part of me wants to go see Jazz and Ellie, but at the same time, I don't think I'll be able to go fly over to them because I can't exactly afford a ticket for myself. I could get Jazz to pay for it, but I don't want to just ask her for something like that. The other part of me still dreads Christmas and how close it is to the holiday. I frown a bit and grumble under my breath,

"Don't know."

Tadashi's face softens a bit as he looks at me for just a moment before a big grin stretches across his face. His eyes are still gleaming in what looks almost like pity as he clamps me on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Danny! I'm sure Aunt Cass would love for you to come by and celebrate with us! The more the merrier on the holidays, right?"

I manage to give him a half-hearted thankful smile, but it doesn't really reach my eyes. When I don't really give him a joyful reaction, he tries again as he continues to grin,

"Think about it Danny- the weather's getting colder so we'll likely have snow by Christmas which means a _huge_ snowball fight."

 _That_ gets a reaction from me. My eyes lit up mischievously as I grin. The idea of a snowball fight between myself, Tadashi and Hiro instantly makes me feel a lot better. Maybe even the gang would join us. Maybe it'd be just me against all of them and I'd win even without my powers because I'm _Danny Motherfucking Snowball Champion Fenton._ I've held the title of Snowball Champion since I was a kid when I've had fights against Sam and Tucker and I don't plan on losing my title now…. Granted, even if I could win without powers, I'd still probably use them because hey, teachers have always told me to use my resources and my resources happen to be some pretty neat ice powers with an ice core to match.

"Oh Tadashi," I wrap my arm around his shoulders bringing him close to me, "If only you knew the horrors you've just suggested. My snowball fights can be very brutal."

Tadashi gulps slightly as he sees the gleam in my eyes. He's second guessing himself as he grins a bit pleadingly with me,

"Uh I never said we have to go against each other, right? We can always team up, right Danny? Against the others?"

I just continue to grin, holding him close as I already begin plotting my plan of attack.

"Of course, Dashi… Of course."

I can see the relief flood as his face as I finally let him go, laughing a bit at the whole scenario.

* * *

Tadashi ends up staying until past midnight. Time just seems to pass when we're having fun and to be honest, a lot of it is a blur. I remember laughing, making jokes, talking about ghosts, and a lot of other fun stuff. Aside from remembering him talking about being concerned about Hiro's bot fighting, most of the details is a bit lost to me as I lay down on my bed with a hand draped across my stomach. It feels like my insides are being torn apart and it's making me absolutely sick. I've drank a few vials of ectoplasm and taken multiple medications, which have all helped, but it's still pretty bad. Though I suspect it will pass eventually later today or maybe even tomorrow.

With a small groan, I move my head to look toward the clock. It's already almost six in the morning, which means that I have stayed up all night due to the food poisoning. Guess that also explains why I feel so tired. But it doesn't explain why Wasabi _still_ isn't home. I'd be worried if it wasn't Wasabi. I know that if he's out this late (or early?) then he's not up to something or in jail. If anything, he's probably out this late because he's stuck at a broken red light. Pft. I can see it now. A half-asleep Wasabi at the wheel in front of a semi-permanent red light until a cop knocks on his window to inform him that the light is broken.

I would laugh if not for my stomach pain. I can't help but groan when I hear my phone go off from its place on the nightstand. Shifting, I let out a few more groans of sheer pain before I answer it.

"What do you want, Jazz?"

" _Wow, is that any way to greet your sister?"_

I groan a bit and shift more on the bed,

"At six o'clock in the morning after a night of food poisoning? Yes."

" _Food poisoning…? Danny what did you do?"_

I hear the exasperation in her voice and I snort knowing that she's torn between being absolutely done with my shit and being concerned. That sums up our sibling relationship pretty well I think.

"Ate some… well… _a lot…_ of food without lacing it with at least a little bit of ectoplasm and my insides are burning but _it was so worth it because it tasted so good."_

I can _hear_ her opening and closing her mouth as if she's not sure what to say as she realizes that she should expect this from me by now.

" _You know what, I d_ _on't think I want to know..."_

I shift on my bed with a slightly pained, but amused expression on my face as I sit up.

"So I take it you didn't call just to hear about my food poisoning? What's on your mind, Jazzy? You rarely ever call this early in the morning."

She doesn't answer me at first and I'm met with an uncomfortable silence that causes a shifting in my gut. Something is wrong. Something is _very_ wrong. It may be the poisoning, but I feel like I'm going to throw up. I don't like this feeling. Because if something really is wrong, I feel like I won't be able to get there in time.

I wince a bit and shift in my place. Now that's a horrible thought. Nothing unsettles me more than thinking that something may happen to Jazz and Ellie while I'm not there or something will happen before I can get there to help.

God maybe coming here was a bad idea. Regret and worry washes over me as I begin to doubt my decision to even come here. I gulp thickly as my heart starts to beat rapidly.

" _..._ _Ellie's growing, Danny,"_ Jazz finally speaks up, _"I mean, she''s just…. She's growing up too fast."_

She sniffles a bit and my expression drops when I realize that this whole call is just because she's getting overly emotional about her niece aka my daughter growing up. Granted, the idea of Ellie growing up so fast makes me a bit teary eyed myself. It pains me a bit to realize that she's growing up when I'm not over there to teach her everything and be with her as she grows.

It's like a knife has just been stabbed straight through my core as I sniffle a bit. It's not long before Jazz and I are both crying messes over the phone, sobbing about Ellie and getting old and watching her grow up.

"-And her birthday is in February," I sob, "that's only in like two months! God, Jazz what am I going to do! She's growing up!"

I continue to sob and cry with my sister for another full five minutes before I get myself together. I'm still sniffling after we say our goodbyes and there's still a gaping hole in my chest that my little girl is growing up so fast.

However, as the door to the room opens, I quickly shove down all the tears and wipe at my eyes just before Wasabi walks into the room. Due to the lights being off and the curtains shut, I doubt he can even see that I'm awake as he tip-toes across the room quietly, his eyes darting around. If not for my ghost powers, I doubt that I would be able to see him as clearly as I do.

Nothing makes me feel better quicker than messing with people. A small mischievous smirk makes its way onto my face as I sneak my way to the light switch by the door, easily dodging him without him ever suspecting me. Just as he is about to make it safely to his bed, I switch on the lights with the most intimidating expression I can make and my arms are crossed squarely across my chest.

"And just what do you think you're doing coming back so late," I mockingly scold him.

Wasabi lets out a girlish scream as he turns around, his face pale and his eyes are wide with absolute fright. He clutches his chest with his hand as he stares at me. For a moment, we just stare at each in absolute silence before I crack a smirk and casually waltz to him.

"So… I take it the date went well, huh~"

My teasing comment causes him to flush as he stammers over an explanation. Seeing him struggle causes me to laugh a bit, clutching my gut to ease any pain that comes along with the laughing. I take a seat on my bed to just take a small breather between my laughing fits. I've never seen Wasabi so flustered before. It's clear that my assumption of him just being late because of something going wrong is incorrect. From his stammering explanations, which I can barely even make sense of, it's pretty obvious that he just ended up spending the entire night with this Jade girl.

"Chill, Wasabi," I try to ease his fears and wave my hand nonchalantly, "I'm just teasing you. But you really do have to tell me about this girl. Did you really end up spending the whole night with her?"

My eyes are twinkling with amusement as Wasabi turns bright red as he plops down on his own bed that's parallel to my own. He buries his face into his hands and mumbles a bit before he speaks up.

"I didn't spend the whole night with her- not in the way you're thinking," he waves a finger at me accusingly, "Because I know you and your mind is _nasty._ "

I shrug with a wide grin on my face, not agreeing or disagreeing with him as he continues,

"We went to diner and a movie," he explains, "And Jade's an art student so she took me to her studio to show me some of the stuff she's working on. We just ended up losing track of time and fell asleep in her studio while watching some musical on her laptop. Nothing major, I swear."

I hum a bit. From the sounds of it, they get along pretty well. I went through an artist phase myself and know that studios can get really messy really quickly so I can just imagine Wasabi's reaction when he went to her studio. Probably had a heart attack. But still, they must have some sort of chemistry to just stay at her studio and watch movies on her laptop. The romantic in me sighs at the thought. It sounds like a very dreamy, romantic way to spend a date.

"So… Is this girl nice," I continue, "You haven't really talked about her that much."

Wasabi winces slightly, scratching at his head sheepishly,

"Yeah. I know. I met her during my first year here and we've only been dating for a few weeks so I don't know if it's really official or not. Because she's an art student, the gang hasn't really had the chance to meet her either. I promise if things go well on our next date, I'll bring her by the lab for you and everyone to meet her. She's very sweet. A bit messy," he winces at that word, "But sweet."

I smile a bit as I hear the admiration in his words, even if he doesn't like the fact that she's messy, I can hear the emotion in his words that speak volumes. He really cares about her. And I'm happy for him. Even if I haven't met her yet, she's earned brownie points in my book for just making him happy. I stand from the bed and head toward the door, planning on going to the communal showers, but I stop briefly to just pat Wasabi on the shoulder.

"I can't wait to meet her."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**So finally at least _someone_ knows about Danny. Hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Wasabi still hasn't brought Jade by, but he claims it's because they haven't been on another date yet. I would probably be pressing him more about it if I weren't so absorbed into my own little world. Doubts about coming here and leaving Jazz, and Ellie for that matter, behind still linger in my mind making it harder to concentrate on the portal in front of me. I can't even seem to get anything done on this portal when every two seconds, I begin thinking about my little girl.

How is she doing? How much has she grown since the last time I've seen her? My heart longs to make sure that she's okay. That she knows how much I love her and how much I just want to spoil her rotten and buy her a bunch of new toys and cute little bows for her hair. She loves it when I do her hair up in bows. My hand twitches, causing the wrench I'm holding to fall to the ground with a loud _thud_ that grabs everyone's attention.

I wince when I see that Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo, and even Fred are watching me with wide, slightly startled eyes (thankfully Tadashi isn't here for this rather embarrassing slip up as he's out getting parts of his project). I've been a slightly clumsy person in the past and even now, I am occasionally clumsy. But I am never clumsy when I'm working. I'm precise. Determined. Focused.

Or at least, I usually am. Today I've been all over the place and distracted beyond words. I let out a small sigh as I run my hands through my hair with a pained expression,

"Sorry guys."

"Don't apologize," GoGo snaps, almost harshly, "You've been out of it all day. At this rate, I'm surprised you haven't burned off your own finger by now."

"She's right," Wasabi speaks up as he looks me over with concern, "Are you okay Danny? You're usually not like this."

At that point, Fred speaks up adding in that I'm usually like- followed by several strange gestures that I think is supposed to mean that I'm usually busy at work? It's hard to tell with Fred sometimes. At least he stops when Honey Lemon quietly puts her hand on his shoulder and shakes her head, causing him to stop as he calms himself down. I sheepishly rub the back of my neck as I take in their various faces of concern. Even GoGo looks concerned in her own way.

"I'm...fine," I force the words out, a bit strained, "Just a bit homesick, I guess. With the holidays coming up and all."

I see Honey Lemon, Wasabi and GoGo share a knowing look. No doubt they remember that I don't exactly have any parents to celebrate with. Just a sister. And a daughter, though they don't know about the later yet… Granted, Tadashi did invite me to celebrate with him and his family, but I really do want to go see Jazz and Ellie. Badly. I'm starting to rething about flying out to New York for the holidays. I still can't fly there on my own power because New York City is so high profile and I'm bound to get noticed in some way. I can't exactly ask Jazz for the money for a ticket (and I doubt she can afford it herself) and I certainly can't afford one myself. So I force myself to swallow down those thoughts of flying out there because that is not going to happen. Even if it pains me to think that way.

"Yeah, I get it," Fred chimes casually as he lazily tosses his arm over my shoulders, "After all, it's Christmas, which means _presents."_

I make a face at his words and very carefully detach myself from his arm,

"Yeah- _no._ As much as I love giving presents to other people, I'm not exactly a huge fan of Christmas."

I'm forced to at least act _decent_ at Christmas, which isn't that hard when Ellie makes the holiday fun. But it's still not exactly my favorite holiday in the world. I'd take Halloween over Christmas anyway.

"Oh, do you not celebrate Christmas," Honey Lemon asks with her head titled curiously, "I know Wasabi celebrates Kwanzaa and GoGo doesn't actually celebrate anything, though she does at least take part in our holiday parties. What about you?"

"I celebrate Christmas," I clarify, "I just don't exactly have good Christmas memories. My parents spent the holidays fighting _every single year_ and it got the best of them a lot so they never really noticed anything else going on. My first Christmas I got peed on by a dog. Another Christmas, my mm fried the turkey up with ectoplasm by accident and it came to life. She was too busy fighting with Dad to notice so Jazz just beat it off with a broom. Another Christmas, I pissed off this ghost and that didn't really go over well since it was like some sort of twisted version of _The Night Before Christmas._ I've gotten better with my Christmas funk, but it's still there."

I shrug my shoulders a bit carelessly, not really caring one way or the other. Yet I can see that most of my explanation has gone over their heads. I can almost _see_ the question marks in their eyes… Well… Aside from Fred. His eyes have stars in them as he suddenly lets out a small excited cheer. In an instant, I'm 'attacked' by him as he grabs my shoulders and looks absolutely amazed.

" _Dude,"_ he drags the word out, "You're like some sort of superhero! Ghost turkey!? That sounds _amazing."_

I can't help it. I'll take any chance I can to mess with people so before I know it, I'm giving Fred a sly smirk with a wink as I whisper slyly to him,

"That's because I am a superhero."

Technically, I'm not lying and I know that no one (aside from Fred) will believe me. I can almost _feel_ GoGo's eyes rolling into the back of her head as the others shake their heads with a bit of amusement. Fred, on the other hand….

It's a good thing I have good reflexes otherwise I don't think I'd be able to catch him in time as he faints. Honey Lemon rushes over to help me set him down into a nearby chair and despite her obvious concern, I can't help but laugh at the situation. In my defense, I didn't really expect him to _faint._ Scream, maybe, but not _faint._ Man, this is just too hilarious. If not for Honey Lemon and Wasabi's looks of disapproval, I would be busting a gut right about now.

"Danny," GoGo sighs as she drags her feet over to help us with Fred, "Can't you go just one day without freakin' _breaking_ someone?"

"Nope."

* * *

Apparently, telling Fred that I'm a superhero warrants an automatic visit to his house. I had left him in the care of Honey Lemon after I checked him over myself and just deemed it to be _fainting due to extreme_ _fanboy overload._ Man, I'm so not gonna forget this though. I guess it's a better reaction than Valerie's. Granted, she actually figured it out herself eventually and cornered me as Phantom and threatened me with a knife to tell her the truth and apparently that was her idea of a sick joke. A very sick joke.

I shake that memory out of my head as I try to keep an eye out for Fred. After he woke up, I had gotten a text from him saying to meet him outside the college campus so we can go to his house. A part of me almost regrets saying that I'm a superhero to him because I should have known that he was going to be a pain about it. Well, not so much a pain as a really overly excited puppy about it all.

"Danny! Danny! Danny! Over here!"

Fred's voice calls out to me and I easily spot him a bit away, waving ecclesiastically as he jumps up and down to get my attention. There's a large grin on his face and even from here I can see the stars in his eyes. I suppress the memories of the 'rabid Phantom fangirls' from back in Amity and grin and bare through it as I drag my feet over there.

"Hey Fred," I greet him a bit slowly and cautiously as he continues to just shake from excitement.

"Danny! This is so awesome! Who would have thought my own friend would be a," his voice drops down to a whisper as he leans in toward me, _"_ _superhero."_

He lets out a small shriek at his own words before he starts to drag me down the sidewalk by my wrist. I'm pretty sure the dread shows on my face, but I try not to let Fred see it. Instead, I look to any and all passing people for help, most of which shake their heads or give _sorry you're on your own_ smiles. Great. I'm doomed. Completely and utterly doomed.

As we walk, or rather Fred walks as I get dragged, Fred talks and talks and talks. He tells me that his parents aren't home because they're on vacation, which is strange to me because why wouldn't he join them? But I don't get the chance to question it since he just continues to talk. Most of it is about various superheroes, some of which I know about, some I don't.

Either way, my head's spinning by the time we finally come to a stop. It takes me a moment to get my balance back as my head tries to go back to normal. It takes me even a moment longer to realize that we're standing in front of a _huge_ mansion. The sheer sight of it takes me off guard as I look to Fred, only to see him walking casually to the front door as if he owns the place.

"Uh Fred," I speak up cautiously, "Are you sure that this is the right house-"

He opens and closes his mouth for a moment, rubbing his head a bit sheepishly as he tries to get the words out. He's saved by speaking when the door opens and a butler steps out. Instantly, Fred turns his attention to the butler with a grin, giving him a fist bump in greeting,

"Heathcliff, my man! I brought over my friend, so it'd be nice if you can bring some sandwiches up for us later if you can. Come on, Danny, Heath can take your jacket, I guess."

He walks through the mansion and that's when it dawns on me that it's really his house, as strange as it seems. Well. I've seen weirder. Sucking it up, I make my way through the door, stopping briefly as the butler makes a move to take my jacket. I tsk a bit at him as I sidestep away from his hands,

"Nah, the jacket stays on, _Alfred."_

I wink at him as I make the _Batman_ reference, but his face remains unchanged as he remains calm and composed.

"Absolutely hilarious, Mister Danny. I do believe that Master Fredrick has made his way to his room by now. Allow me to escort you."

He calmly begins to lead me toward the stairs, barely even glancing at me through the corners of his eyes. I walk behind him casually, occasionally pulling on my jacket collar before I put my hands in my pockets. I glance around at the many paints that line up on the wall. Most show Fred and who I assume is his parents. I smirk before I pull out my phone and snap a few pictures of some of the paintings of a younger Fred, knowing that I can get a laugh from it later. Or use it as blackmail, whichever comes first. For a moment, I think I see the butler smile at my actions but when I blink, the grin is gone.

"So have you worked here long, Heathcliff?"

"Very long, sir," Heathcliff answers me smoothly without faltering, "I saw his father grow from a young lad to the man he is today, and I hope to see Fred become a great man as well."

"I think that may be a while, Healthcliff," I retort dryly, causing the faintest smile to appear on his face as he stops in front of a door.

"Here we are, sir. Refreshments will be up shortly."

He doesn't say another word as he walks away. Glad to know that I actually got a smile from him though. With a grin on my face, I enter the room. At the point, I'm not even shocked to see the _many_ pieces of superhero merchandise from action figures to costumes to masks to comics. The room's covered it in all, some of it even has sticky notes that even say things like _Fred, don't touch -Fred_. Now that has to be the most believable thing I've seen all day. If anyone needs sticky note reminders to not touch or do something from themselves, it's Fred.

"So, Danny, my man," Fred says from a place on a large bean chair, "You have got to tell me _everything_ and I do mean _everything._ Including your origin story, powers, your nemesis, _everything_. I have just _got_ to know."

He pleads me with me. I think about it for a minute. I could tell him lies, or that I was kidding about the superhero thing. But on the other hand, there's no one else who would believe me about all the stuff I've done aside from Fred. Despite everything, I know he's loyal so he's not going to be spewing it all to the media (if they would even listen) or to the others for that matter. Whether they would believe it or not, I don't exactly want them to know all the gritty details.

So making my decision, I take a seat beside Fred with a large drawn out groan. My hand, which is barely grazing the floor since it drapes over the edge of the chair, sends a small blast of ectoplasm through the floor and up the wall to attack any and all hidden cameras, recording devices and recorders. I'm sure Fred's phone may be a bit jacked up for a while too, but eventually it'll all return to normal after I get done with my little 'speech.'

"Okay, if we're going to do this, you have to promise a few things first."

He nods eagerly and motions for me to list the terms and conditions of this discussion.

"First," I continued, "No fainting or screaming. I can't explain everything if you're fainting or shrieking or screaming every five seconds, which I know that you will want to so just please at least try to hold it in. Secondly, if you really want to know all this, just know that it's pretty heavy stuff and like not many people know about it. Lastly, _don't tell anyone_ and I mean _anyone_. My secret is a secret for a reason, got it?"

"Anyone," Fred repeats, his eyebrows furrowing, "...You don't want Tadashi know?"

"Not yet," I correct, "I'll tell him, and the others, on my own terms. Got it?"

He thinks it all over with a surprisingly deep expression before he finally nods.

"Yeah. Yeah I got it. Contrary to belief, I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid."

He… He says that with so much confidence that I falter a bit before deciding to not comment on his choice of words. As strange as it is, I _think_ I know what he's trying to say. Maybe. With him, I really can never know for sure. I run my hands through my hair for a moment before I stand up and start to strip off my jacket and shirt,

"Look, I just want to make it clear that this story is not exactly a happy one. If you still want to hear it, after you see this, then I'll tell you."

I know that he's going to believe my words, but I don't want him to think that it's easy to be a superhero. I don't want him to just blindly believe in them or think so naively. He's an adult- sort of- and I just don't want to strip whatever innocence he has left because I decide to tell him my story. I glance at him just for a moment before I take off my shirt, seeing that he's a bit confused but nodding as if he's trying his hardest to understand.

I falter a bit on my shirt before I finally just let him see. All the scars that are on my chest from various things. The self-experimentation scars fade into the scars given to me from ghost fighting. There's very little of my skin that's even shown. The most noticeable one is likely to be the lightning-like scar that covers my arm and part of my hand due to the portal. Some are faint. Others aren't. Some are thin while others are thick and jagged. I rub briefly and absently at the scar near my heart that was given me to during the battle- a kill shot from Skulker that just barely even missed the heart.

The few breaths that I take are short and ragged as I try to not any emotion show. Fred just stares at me, taking it all in with wide eyes, but he doesn't seem disgusted or disturbed Concerned and a bit fascinated maybe, but not disturbed. His hand twitches as if he wants to just reach out and touch them but he stops himself.

"This is what happens when you become a hero," I gesture toward the many scars, "It's not easy. It sure as hell isn't _painless._ Are you sure you wanna hear my story now?"

He hesitates, but still nods. I'll take that as a yes. I run my fingers through my hair with a sigh before I start speaking.

"Okay… I guess I'll start at the beginning. As you know my parents were ghost hunters, the best in their field. Everyone thought they were crazy though, including me and my sister. Until one day, when I was fourteen… They built a portal. To the place they called the Ghost Zone."

I see his eyes widen in understanding. It's no secret that I'm working on a ghost portal myself so I imagine that the news my parents tried it first isn't too shocking, but still a bit surprising.

"At first, it didn't work. Disappointed, they left and my friends and I- me, Sam and Tucker I mean- we went to check it out. Somehow or another, Sam convinced me to go check it out so she can pictures. Which is fine by me, because I thought if I could get in there and find out what was wrong, my parents would finally have some more solid evidence to their findings…."

I hesitate in my story just enough to go for my jacket and grab my wallet. I flip it open and briefly hesitate since the first thing I see is pictures of Ellie before I shake my head. I reach into the back of it and pull out a few pictures of me and the gang and grab the one of the older ones. The one that Sam took when I went into the portal. I gulp a bit before I hand the picture to Fred, who gazes at it in amazement,

"That's what I used to look like," I point to the little fourteen-year-old in the picture, "Black hair, blue eyes. This white hair, well… It's natural. Because when I went into the portal, I hit a button that was on the inside. Suddenly, I find myself being blasted with roughly over 110 volts of electricity along with about 20 liters of pure ectoplasm."

I hold up my hand and put emphasis on the lightning scar as I flex slightly.

"You can guess just how much that hurt," my voice drops down for a moment before I continue louder, "I woke up and my hair was.. well basically white and my eyes were glowing green."

Fred looks up at me intensely and I flash my glowing green eyes in a blink. I hear his whispered _whoa_ as he stares at me absolutely fascinated before I continue as my eyes flash back to 'normal.'

"It took a while, but eventually, I figured something out. The portal, which was completely functioning now, had turned me into what the ghosts call a _halfa…._ Fred, I'm half _ghost._ My heart beats slower, I'm cold as hell, and damn it, sometimes I wonder if I'm even considered human anymore."

I let out a groan and plop down onto the chair. With my shirt still off, my scars were still on display. Man this is a bit harder than I thought it would be. But before I know it, I'm telling Fred everything. Sam. Tucker. My parents. Jazz. Valerie. I go into depth on many of the stories of our adventures, some of the more lighter hearted ones from when I was younger come out first. I leave out Ellie, but aside from that, I'm spewing just about everything from my past. Eventually, I even talk about Sam and I's horrible breakup. My relationship with Dash…. I don't say his name, but I do talk about Vlad, calling him by his other name. Plasmius. I even talk about the Battle and just everything that's been haunting me to even how much I miss my family.

Huh.

Who knew that Fred would become my makeshift therapist before my sister?


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Wow Danny has it rough, but eh cuteness between him and Tadashi so yay~**

 **Please review**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Telling Fred everything has taken a huge weight off my chest. I feel like I can really breathe. Live. I feel so free. I can't help but whistle and hum a but as I play my music from my phone on my full blast as I work. I just feel like I can do anything now that I'm absolutely free. I feel like a new man- a new ghost. A new halfa. Whatever. It all means the same.

I'm well aware that the others are looking at me every now and then with curiosity- probably wondering why I'm in such a good mood. Though Fred seems to understand. Every time I catch his eye, he gives me a big grin and a thumbs up before I return to working. Strangely enough, Wasabi isn't here yet for whatever reason. A part of me hopes that he's on a date with that Jade girl so I can end up meeting her.

I hum a bit more enthusiastically, occasionally singing under my breath to the song. In my defense, I am in an _extremely_ good mood, so much in fact… That I could dance. Without even thinking about it, I'm dancing across my little lab as I work, eagerly singing and humming along to the music without a care in the world.

" _~It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, for me... And I'm feelin' good..."_

I let out a few more overly done moves to the beat, feeling a bit like some sort of Jazz performer from like the 1920s. Or is it 1940s. Hm. I always do get the times mixed up. I think I can _feel_ Lancer turning in his grave knowing that I don't even know History that well. Or English for that matter. What can I say? I'm a scientist at heart. It's in my blood. And ectoplasm for that matter.

My moves may, or may not, be a bit… out dated. I'm vaguely aware that half of my so-called moves aren't really moves. The sprinkler. Dancing chicken. Robot. But for the most part, I just stick to the occasional spins, hip movements and other vague-dances that are practically universal for dancing.

"Is Danny… dancing," I hear Tadashi whisper somewhat-discretely to Honey Lemon as I freely move to the beat of the music.

...Maybe I'm over doing it a bit. But I lose myself to the music and frankly, I could really care less if I'm making a fool of myself because anything that I'm doing now is not going to be worse than any of the embarrassing stuff from High School….

"It seems that way," Honey Lemon answers with a half-heartily shrug, "Whatever got him into a such a good mood… Well, I'm not complaining. It's kinda nice seeing him so happy."

I get a wicked gleam in my eye as I turn to Tadashi as the next song starts up. I make a _come dance with me_ motion. Seeing the look in my eyes with the gesture, he backs away a bit slowly, blushing as he frantically shakes his head and waves his hands around like _nope, not me, not going to happen._ Heh. Like he gets a choice. With a big grin on my face, I quickly grab him by his wrist and drag him over, causing Honey Lemon to laugh at us as Tadashi suddenly finds himself being my dancing partner.

I have to give it to him, considering how sudden this is, he's doing pretty well. It doesn't take him long before he's willingly dancing with me. Our hands are interlocked as we twist and turn with laughs. I know full well that Honey Lemon is already video taping us on her phone and even GoGo is looking slightly amused at us as she shakes her head. Fred is laughing the loudest, however, and asks off-handedly to a few of the other students who they think is the better dancer….

"I think Fred is starting a betting ring on us," Tadashi comments as I twirl him around, "I'm not too sure how I feel about that."

His face is beat red just at the thought, but I just laugh as we continue to dance to the music playing from my phone.

"Come on, Tadashi, aren't you eager to know whose the better dancer between the two of us?"

He doesn't comment and just makes a face at me as we dance away. After a while, just as the song comes to end, I decide to end our little duet the only way I know how. Dramatically. I give him a big twirl before I pull him in close, our bodies grazing against each other as I give him a wicked smirk. Our faces are close enough that if I lean in only a little bit farther...

"...I think I won, Tadashi."

He blushes and sputters as I set him free. The other students have a mixed reaction, but most are clapping or letting a few whoops before they returned to their business since all the excitement's died down by now. I have a cocky grin on my face as I turn toward Honey Lemon, GoGo and Fred. Honey Lemon is clapping giddily as Fred lets out a shrill whistle with a few cheers of his own. Even GoGo is, reluctantly, giving a few slow claps with an amused look on her face.

"Thank you, thank you," I bow deeply toward them, "I'll be here all year- quite literally, I mean it is college and-"

I look up briefly from my bow as I hear someone enter the lab. Looking past the others, I see Wasabi as he holds the door open for someone else to enter. The others turn their attention away from me briefly enough to glance back at Wasabi and his mysterious guest. Ohhh I hope it's the girl he's talked about. I've really been looking forward to meeting her. And seeing if she knows any embarrassing stories about him either.

I can see her as she enters the lab, laughing a bit at whatever Wasabi said to her prior. But as soon as I really _see_ her- every last detail, my eyes widen. The dark skin. The cute, slightly crooked nose. The beautiful eyes. Kinky hair.

But that's impossible. It isn't here. She is not here. She just can't be. My eyes widen and I lose my balance on my half-bow, causing me to stumble forward with a few sputters. My breathing hitches as I feel my heart, as slow as it is, speed up as I clutch my chest.

She can't be here.

 _She's dead._

* * *

 _The battle is getting worse. I never expected it to get this bad and yet here I am, desperately fighting off every single ghost I come across, careful to not hit any of my allies or friends. But that's hard to do when I can barely even see more than three feet in front of me due to the thick cloud of ghosts. Most aren't even sentient, not in the way that other ghosts are. They're like feral animals. They just attack and kill anything they come across. In this case, it's us._

 _I'm vaguely aware of the almost-crippling pain in my sides. No doubt I've broken a few ribs. Again. I have more bruises than I can count. A few stray cuts ooze a mix of ectoplasm and blood and I wipe at the cut on my lip as I fight to keep some of it from going into my mouth. At this point, it's a miracle I have died from lack of sleep and exhaustion. Not to mention hunger. I can't even remember the last time I had a chance to even eat something more than a Fenton Nutrition Bar. Even then I didn't even eat the whole thing and it wasn't even that big to begin with._

 _I'm sure others around here somewhere, possibly even close by. It's kind of hard to tell from all the ghosts that are swarming around me. But I can hear the fighting from the others, but from the way it echoes around me and mixes in with the screams and wails of ghosts, it's hard to tell how far away it is and where it's coming from._

 _I'm not sure how long we've been fighting like this. Days? Weeks? It feels like a lifetime. Sometimes I just want it to be over. And I mean over. Over in the sense that I don't even care about dying at this point if I had a choice. But I can't leave knowing that my friends and my allies are still fighting. I can't leave them. I can't just be selfish. I'm a hero. Heroes don't do that._

 _Sometimes I don't want to be the hero._

 _But they started this war and I'm going to finish it. Eventually._

 _"Danny, need a hand over here!"_

 _I can hear Valerie's voice, as strained and raspy as it is, but I can't see her. I scream out her name in a desperate attempt to find her, but I can't hear anything over the screams from the ghosts around me. I end a few nearby ghosts attacking me and take to the skies. My eyes are wide as I frantically look around, trying to find her. Panic starts to grip me when I see no signs of her, but I'm finally able to spot a few ghosts being blasted away by her familiar gun._

 _She's a bit of a distance away, but I can see why she called for my help. Ghosts of all sorts are crowded around her as if they're focusing on her; she's the greatest human threat to them with her experience as a ghost hunter and deadly precision. All the fighting is wearing down on her and it shows. Her reaction time is getting slower and slower and the ghosts… The ghosts are just getting faster and faster._

 _I can see a particular skeleton ghost- relatively weak compared to some of the others, but the sword it holds makes it dangerous if you don't see it coming…. And Valerie doesn't see it coming._

" _Valerie!"_

 _I waste no time in trying to reach her to help her. Save her._ _I stop short when it's too late. She turns around just in time for the sword to come down, leaving me there standing in absolute shock for a brief moment before the grief and anger flood over me._

* * *

" _...Is he okay…?"_

" _Danny can you hear me?"_

"Danny, you're really freaking me out."

" _Look at me, Danny."_

All the voices mold together and it's hard for me to determine exactly who is saying what. After a few moments, I'm able to at least bring myself back to the present. My body's broken into a cold sweat and my heart is racing. But I find myself laying on the ground on some sort of pillow or someone's lap with a concerned group of friends looking over me. Tadashi's face is the closest to mine and judging from the angle, I think it's his lap that my head's actually laying on. His eyebrows are furrowed in concern, but I can see the relief in his eyes as he realizes that I'm at least awake.

"Are you okay," Wasabi asks hesitantly as he leans down to my level, "You just freaked out on us there."

I don't really want to move from this position. I don't think I could even if I did want to really. My body's tired and if not for the group of people around me, I would probably just fall asleep right here and right now. Granted, my dreams would be full of nightmares, but sleep is sleep. I guess. I'm still trying to regulate my breathing as I cross my arms over my body,

"...Depends on what you define as _okay,_ " I whisper, my voice coming out a bit raspy.

My eyes slowly go over each and every one of them. Each of them look concerned and worried about me. Fred is still freaking out though, clinging to Honey Lemon with fright as he struggles to figure out what happened and what to do. GoGo shows sympathy like she understands my little episode. Honey Lemon is biting at her nails a bit, her leg twitching, looking like she wants to say something but isn't sure what to say for once. Wasabi looks like he's trying to refrain from touching/comforting me and I can feel Tadashi running his hand slowly over my head as an attempt to comfort me.

But then my eyes fall onto Jade. She looks a bit freaked out and unsure of what to do. Her resemblance to Valerie has thrown me off quite a bit, and thrown me into an unexpected panic attack, but I can deal with it. I can handle it. Besides, she's _not_ Valerie. She's her own person who I just need to make sure I don't scare off because Wasabi obviously really likes her.

"What happened, Danny," Tadashi whispers a bit softly.

"Just a panic attack," I try to sound nonchalant as if it's no big deal, "I haven't had one in a while… But it happens sometimes… I'll be okay. Eventually…. Did I pass out?"

"For about three minutes," GoGo replies easily, the same sympathetic look in her eyes, "Longest three minutes of our lives so try not to do it again."

She hesitates before she just pats my head as she walks by, heading straight toward her work station. I know she cares, but she still has work to do and now that it's obvious that I'm okay she's free to do her own thing. She tries to make a show of getting back to work to encourage the others to do the same. It works. Hesitantly, the others double check to make sure I'm okay and after reassuring them that I'm fine, they go back to their work stations. Jade hesitantly puts her hand on my arm and whispers something along the lines of _I'm sorry_ , but I reassure her that it's not her fault. I even offer to treat her and Wasabi to drink at the cafe, which she accepts after Wasabi gives her a small nod of _okay._

With that taken care of, Wasabi drags Jade off to show him his lab and it's not long before everyone is back to their usual spots- even if it's done reluctantly and they still glance back at me every now and then with concern. I see GoGo glance back at me with the same concern everyone else has, but there's something else too. Oh. She's giving me that look. The _you okay now that I've gotten everyone away from you_ look. I give her a small smile before I nod slightly, causing her to nod back before she returns to her work.

I have to admit, with just me and Tadashi (who can't get up even if he wants to since I'm still on his lap), it feels a lot better. Less crowding. I can at least breathe now. So I do. I close my eyes and relax on top of Tadashi as I take some deep breaths. I can see still feel him absently playing with a bit of my hair, which brings me even more comfort. Though there's still a sort of absent feeling in my chest. That memory and panic attack has done nothing to help the feeling of homesickness.

"We agreed to wait five minutes before we called a nurse or took you to the office," Tadashi finally speaks up, though my eyes still remain close, "….So you get those panic attacks often?"

Panic attacks were something I got even _before_ I was a halfa. They've just been something I've always had and dealt with. Sometimes I go a whole year without one and then it just _hits_ me. Sometimes it's months. Sometimes the intervals are just hours. It all depends. But after the battle, it's just gotten worse. Going a year without them just doesn't happen and I'm just lucky that it's been this long since my last one- enough time that I've even forgot all about it. Course it helps being around so many friends.

"Sometimes," I hum a bit, "Night terrors. Panic attacks. The whole like. Sometimes they just come out of nowhere and turn a good time into an absolute shitty one…."

I hear him give a sharp intake of breath and I feel his hands tense on my head before he forces himself to relax.

"Do… Do you need help? Is there something I can do? Something you need?"

His voice is so soft that even I have to strain to hear it. I crack my eye open just enough to see the absolute fear on his face at the thought that he can't do anything to help for this. I suppose that, like me, Tadashi has a bit of a hero complex when it comes to helping others. Heh. Figures. I shake slowly shake my head at him before I close my eyes again, relaxing on his lap. He's actually pretty comfortable, but I can still feel that's pretty tense.

"….Maybe I can add that into Baymax," I hear him mutter to himself, "He should be prepared for physical and mental illnesses and injuries…."

He continues to mutter a bit to himself as I just lay there. I don't plan on moving anytime soon anyway. So for now, I think I'll just lay here. Not like Tadashi has anything wrong with it.

* * *

That night, I have several choices on what I can do. Work on my blueprints. Work on another project all together. Work on my portal downstairs. All of my plans include not sleeping and staying up late. As tired as I am, I'm trying to put off going to sleep because I know that it'll just bring nightmares. Of course, it doesn't help that Wasabi isn't here either. He sent me a message explaining that he's going to be out with Jade again- along with another _long_ message about the aftercare of panic attacks and to be careful tonight. Sheesh he's worse than Jazz, I swear.

I don't exactly like being alone at night. Not after today anyway. Being alone, while it was comforting just after the panic attack, feels wrong right now. I mean, I'm in my dorm room, at night, in the dark, alone. Makes me feel lonely and uncomfortable after today. I bite at the inside of my cheek a bit as I debate on what to do before my eyes go to the clock. It's pretty late, but not too late…

Making up my mind, I quickly call up Fred.

" _Yooo Casper, you doing okay?"_

I roll my eyes a bit at the nickname, though it does bring a small smile to my face.

"I'm fine, Fred, but I was wondering if I can come down there and hang out with you tonight? Wasabi is out so it's kind of lonely in here after all that's happened today."

"… _.Yeah, sure. No problem, Casper, I'll let Heithcliff know you're coming."_


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Due to a family emergency, I won't be updating for a bit longer than usual. Still, enjoy the cute family fluffy chapter.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

In hindsight, maybe just flying off to New York without so much as warning Tadashi may not be my best plan ever. In my defense, it is a kind of last minute plan. Going to Fred's a few nights ago eventually led to Fred giving me a plane ticket and next thing I know, I'm on this flight to America. A part of me feels indebted to Fred, but he insists that it's no problem and that his only condition is for me to video call him when I'm in New York.

At least I did leave a note to Wasabi that I had left. I don't want him to freak out when he notices that I'm not in the dorm and considering that I locked up my blueprints and took my notebook and thermos with me, I have nothing to worry about if he decides to clean my section of the room while I'm gone.

Though I'm not looking forward to seeing Tadashi when I get back. I hope he's not mad that I just kind of left and I'm sure Wasabi told him about the note by now. With a small wince, I take my phone out of my pocket and turn it on as I wait in the airport for Jazz to pick me up. Sure, I could have just flown here myself or even fly out now to Jazz's place, but New York City is pretty high profile. I don't want to take the risk of someone spotting me.

The first thing that pops up on my phone the second it's done turning on is about a dozen notifications. Missed calls. Text messages. Some are from Hiro, there's a few from Wasabi and even Honey Lemon. But a majority of them are from Tadashi. I skim through them, most read things like _Wasabi told me you're flying to America, why didn't you tell me, I guess you're already on the flight, Wasabi told me he only knows because you left a note, you're a real jackass,_ and _call me when you land._

I wince slightly at the messages. I really should have told him, even if it meant exchanging my ticket for a later flight. But to be honest, I just wasn't sure how to tell him. I swallow thickly before I hit the speed dial to call him up.

" _Danny? Danny is that you,"_ Tadashi's voice is a bit frantic, _"You're a real jackass for not telling me, or any of us aside from that note for Wasabi. You know that right?"_

I whine a bit, shifting my weight on my feet as I pout. Apparently Fred's taken the liberty of not admitting that he's the reason I left suddenly since he bought the ticket. If he's going to let me dragged down like this then I have no problem in throwing him under the bus too.

"Yeah, I know. But in my defense, it was _really_ last minute. And you can just blame Fred. He's the one that bought me a ticket to fly out here and so I left in hurry last night. Which I guess makes sense considering that Winter Break just started today and all. And it'd be nice to see Jazz and Ellie for Christmas, I suppose."

" _Wait, Fred knew about this and didn't tell us?! And I- wait- who's_ _Ellie-"_

Tadashi starts to ask about Ellie, causing me to tense slightly before I cut him off so I don't have to lie.

"-I've never really been one for Christmas, to be honest. When I get back, I'll be sure to tell you the many stories of _why Daniel Fenton hates Christmas-_ spoiler, there's a lot of stories and I can probably go on for hours about it. Though if you talk to the others, I'm sure they'll share some of the stories with you because you weren't there when I told them. But I'm sucking it because it's the holidays. And because my sister will beat my ass if I don't."

I hear him snort at that and I don't blame him. Though to be honest, my whole bad mood about Christmas has gotten better since I've taken in Ellie. Kinda hard to be glum about the holidays when there's a little girl tugging on your arm begging to go see Santa Claus.

"...But don't tell me you're already missing me, Dashi?"

I lightly tease him to distract him from Ellie, which thankfully works as I hear him sputter a bit over the phone. No doubt he's a flustered mess so it looks like I've done my job. I grin a bit and relax knowing that he's not going to be asking about Ellie.

" _I- uh- just don't leave like that again, okay,"_ Tadashi finally sighs, _"I got worried._ _Especially after that episode you had a few days ago-_ _"_

My expression softens slightly as I hear him grumble a bit to himself. I.. I didn't mean to worry him and there's an apology that almost makes it way out of my mouth, but I swallow it down.

"Okay. I promise I won't suddenly disappear like a jackass again. But if it makes you feel better, I should be back at San Fransokyo later on Christmas Day which means you have me the rest of winter break after that~."

I hear him sputter some more, but I don't give him a chance to reply as I spot Jazz and Ellie in the distance.

"-Gotta go, Dashi. Jazz is here. See ya later, don't miss me too much."

I end the call just before Jazz and Ellie come running toward me. Well, more like Ellie is running toward me and Jazz is just running after her. My little girl is practically flying across the ground. Technically she kind of is flying. Discretely, of course, but her feet is a few centimeters off the ground as she runs to me and jumps high up into my arms. A big grin stretches across my face as I swing her around a bit, her arms clutching to my neck as she laughs.

"Princess," I cry out, "Look at you! You've gotten bigger!"

She giggles at me and a few words in Ghost Speak slip through her babbling before I quiet her down so that no one over hears it. She grins a bit sheepishly at me, blushing when she realizes that she slipped into Ghost Speak. She really does look bigger. It's been a bit under six months, but she looks a few inches taller or even a whole year older than what she did before.

Though in reality, she's probably only gotten taller and just appears older because I'm her father. I shake it all out as Jazz finally reaches us. I set Ellie down and hold her hand tightly so that she can't run off as I greet my sister.

"Hey Jazzypants, lookin' a bit out of shape there."

Jazz huffs and puffs from the running, hunched over a bit. Yet she can still bring herself to look up at me with a minor glare. I just grin cheekily at her as she catches her breath. It takes her a moment, but she's eventually able to stand up fully, still glaring a bit at me before her gaze drops to Ellie and softens. She glances between me and Ellie with a gaze that makes me uneasy like she wants to tell me something, but doesn't want to do it with Ellie around.

"Hey Ellie," Jazz finally speaks up, softly as she kneels down to the ground, "Why don't you play at the little kid zone over there and we'll be over there in a second, okay?"

Ellie bites at her lip and looks at me hesitantly, silently asking if it's okay before she glances toward the nearby Kid Center; it's full of lots of kids that she, no doubts, wants to really play with. I give her a small smile and kneel down to rub our noses together before I send her off with the promise that I'll go play with her soon. She wastes no time in letting go of my hand and running off to play with laughs and giggles.

"She's really grown up, hasn't she," I whisper a bit wistfully, as I go watch her play, "...Though I think she just looks a lot bigger and older than she is because I'm her father… Oh God, Jazz, she's just growing up so fast."

"I know," Jazz sniffles a bit, "She's just… Danny, we're getting old. I'm going to cry!"

She starts to frantically sniffle and wipe at her eyes. Even I have to wipe at my eyes a bit from all the emotions that are starting to come up. We are getting older. Hell, my twentieth birthday isn't _that_ far away since it's already December and it's in January. Oh my god, I'm getting old. It won't be too long before I'm sitting on an old porch swing, waving a cane around and complaining about _all 'em youngsters._ I sniffle a bit more before I turn to smile at my sister, trying to shake off all the emotions about getting older.

"It's really good to see you again, Jazzy," I admit softly as I bring my sister into a hug, "I missed you and Ellie. A lot. Got homesick after a while and with that panic attack I had the other day I just-"

I don't get a chance to finish as the realization of my words hit. I really shouldn't have mentioned that. As soon as the words left my mouth, I look at my sister in horror as she doesn't hesitate to forget her own sadness about growing old in favor for hitting me upside the head.

"You had another panic attack and didn't tell," she seethes, "Danny I told you to let me know when that happens- I can get some medications for you that are sure to help and make you better."

I wince at her words. I hate when she says stuff like that. _Make me better._ I know she means well, but the way she says it, it's like I'm _broken_. Something that needs to be fixed. Sometimes that's always the way it is with her. She sees me, and her patients, as people that need to be fixed without realizing that we aren't broken. We're just… hurt. In pain. We need help, but we don't need ducktape and glue to fix us.

Swallowing deeply, I try to tune Jazz and her little rant out as I focus on Ellie. My sweet little girl. I have missed her so much and just seeing her, just a bit away, playing like a normal little girl fills my heart with so much joy. She looks absolutely adorable over there with the other kids. Her eyes are shining with absolute innocence and joy. There's a big grin on her face and her hair is flying all around her head as she jumps and plays.

"Come on, we have to get Ellie," I interrupt Jazz and don't give her a chance to object as I grab my luggage and head toward my daughter.

The luggage weighs next to nothing to me though it's not like I really have much to being with. A bag for clothes and necessities. My carry on that has my laptop, notebook and thermos. That's pretty much it. Though I have an extra bag full of various things that also has a lot of extra room because how can I not be in New York City without getting something to bring back for the others? It's a great chance to go Christmas shopping after all. I still have to Ellie and Jazz a gift anyway.

* * *

The second I enter Jazz's place, a small blue wisp leaving my mouth is my only warning to the oncoming attack. A large green blur is jumping onto me the second that I'm through the doorway. I find myself pinned to the floor by a tiny, familiar green little ghost pup as it gives slobbery kisses all over me.

"Cujo," I laugh a bit, but gently try to push the small puppy off of me, "I missed you too!"

It's a good thing that I can just phase off all the slobber because this is really gross. Dog drool is one thing. _Ghost_ dog drool is another thing entirely. But still, I grin as I greet the beloved guard dog and give it some much needed loves.

"You're such a good boy," I coo, "And you're doing such a good job at protecting Ellie! Good boy!"

He wags his tail happily at me as he sits there with a sloppy dog-grin on his face. Ellie squeals as she sees him and eagerly takes the pup off my hands to go play with it in the house. I knew it was a good decision to have him watch over Ellie. I shake my head a bit fondly- _ah a ghost girl and her ghost dog. Nothing like it._ My eyes go over the rest of the house before I make my way to my once bedroom.

It's just as I remember it. My once room remains mostly the same minus my personal touches that I took with me. Well, mostly the same. I set my luggage down and eye the few storage boxes that are sitting in the corner causing Jazz to let out a few sheepish noises as she flushes.

"There wasn't really anywhere else to put them," Jazz admits, "Sorry."

I shake my head a bit, letting her know that it's okay. It'd be selfish to think that she wasn't going to do anything to the room. She gives me one last look before she leaves me to my own devices. Not that there's really much to do. Unpack. Take a shower. Get dressed. That's really all there is to it. With Christmas coming up in a few days, it gives me a chance to just relax until then. Spend some time with Ellie. Go shopping for presents. Nothing to it. I can totally do this.

"Daddy," Ellie runs into the room and launches herself at me, "Daddy!"

She's laughing as she hangs from my neck. She dangles there loosely with a big grin on her face. I find her laughter is contagious as I let out a booming laugh of my own as I swing her around my back to the front of me. She's all giggles and laughs as I twist and turn so we're at least facing each other. Man. She's just too cute. Her shirt rides up to reveal a tiny patch of stomach so I give her a big raspberry, causing her to twist and giggle about it tickling.

"Come on, princess," I say as I finally set her down, still grinning ear to ear as I hold her hand, "You can hang out with Auntie Jazz while I go get dressed."

"But I don't wanna hang out with Auntie," Ellie pouts at me, "I wanna hang out with you."

She looks up at me with big wide eyes and pouting lips that makes my heart clench. I lean down to her level so I can look her in the eyes. My hands gently clasp her shoulders,

"We can hang out, princess, I promise. Daddy will be out in the living room in five minutes. Swearsies."

I do a small little _X_ over my heart, signaling the swear. Hearing that causes Ellie to perk up as she eagerly gives me a peck on the cheek before running off to go bother Jazz.

* * *

By the third day of my return home, I already feel like I've never even left. Wake up. Get showered. Get dressed. Spend time with Ellie and taking her wherever we need to go. In this case, those trips usually have included the mall and various Christmas shops. Which is good. It gave me a chance to get gifts for everyone at the college along with gifts for Aunt Cass and Hiro because I can't leave them out. The tree is already up and decorated, along with many other various Christmas decorations. Ellie and I even spent the day in the kitchen making cookies and other goodies.

I plop down on a seat by the fireplace, exhaustion taking over me. My eyes go over the stockings at the fire mantel, the cookies that sit on a plate beside a glass of a milk for Santa, and finally to the nearby couch where Ellie is stretched out, soundly asleep with a pillow, a ghost thermos, a stuffed teddy bear, and a blanket. Cujo has his eyes closed as he curls up beside Ellie, but I know that's awake. Ghosts, full ghosts, always are. Occasionally he even cracks an eye open to look at me and the room before closing his eyes again, contempt at everything is as it should be.

"I'm going to take a guess and say that she wanted to try to catch Santa," Jazz says softly as she enters the room with a fond expression.

"As usual," I chuckle a bit, "But just like last year, she's out cold before midnight…. You know, I don't exactly have the best memories when it comes to Christmas, but I do remember that one year we tried to catch Santa. Just to see if Dad was right."

Jazz chuckles a bit at the memory as she takes a seat beside me, offering me one of the two mugs of hot chocolate in her hands.

"Yeah, I remember that too. By midnight, Dad had found out why we were sitting in the living room with fishing nets by the fireplace."

"-And then he tried to be Santa himself," we both say in union as we chuckle to ourselves.

When I was about six years old and Jazz was eight, we really did sit by the fireplace with fishing nets. We took the phrase _catch Santa_ quite literally. We sat there until Dad found out what was going on. Next thing we know, we hear noises on the rooftop and got _very_ excited…. We really believed it was Santa, that he was right about it all… Until we realized that the man stuck in the fireplace with a fake white beard _was_ Dad. Mom had to call the fire department to get him out. It's probably the only fond memory, aside from the ones with Ellie, that I have of Christmas. Though I didn't think of it as a fond memory for a while. It wasn't until I was older did I really see the humor in it.

"...So Danny," Jazz speaks a bit slyly, "How is it going with you and Tadashi?"

I take a few sips of the hot chocolate before I answer her. Though the taste of the hot beverage causes my nose to crinkle. It's not the same as Aunt Cass' special hot chocolate. A part of me already misses them too, but I know that I will see them later tomorrow. So for now, I'm going to enjoy my own family time.

"….I like him," I answer softly, not bringing myself to look her in the eyes, "I… I really like him. So much that I do just want to rush in, but I'm trying to hold myself back. Take it a bit slower… and just let things run its course naturally."

Jazz chuckles a bit as she gently pats my shoulder,

"Funny. I remember when you and Dash realized you liked each other, you went all in without hesitation."

I make a face as I set the drink down. Something about that causes me to flinch as if it's scratching under my skin.

"Yeah, but… Tadashi isn't Dash," a small bit of bitterness seeps from my words that I can't stop, "He's not Sam. He's not Valerie. He's just himself and he's his own person and I need to respect that..."

Jazz's eyes soften as she sighs a bit, patting my shoulder a bit more before she gets up,

"I know, little brother… I know."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**I haven't exactly been feeling well lately and been insanely busy so I hope this chapter came out alright! Hope you enjoy and please review!  
~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Christmas Day causes a lot more drama than I thought was possible. As usual, Ellie wakes up to find the tree covered in gifts from Santa. She's over the moon at all the toys she got and pretty dresses. I spend at least an hour with her doing some extra ghost training during that time of high emotion to practice control. It works. A little bit at least. Then I get my own Christmas gifts from Jazz and Ellie. I pretend to act like the rather eye-displeasing Christmas sweater, or Dad sweater, is pleasant. Even if I have some Dad sweaters of my own, this one takes the cake for the ugly sweater contest. I act like I'm not mouthing curses at Jazz after Ellie tells me that it was 'Aunt Jazz's idea' to get the sweater in the first place. Though it's hard to be upset when Ellie is so happy and proud of the gift. Though her excitement is short lived when she figures out that I'm leaving again. I spend the next thirty minutes consoling her and letting her know that I love her and that I'll be back before she knows it. It takes a while, but eventually she believes me and I find myself back on the plane ride with my luggage and gifts.

It seems like the flight back to San Franskoyo is longer than it was before. Maybe it's just because my heart feels heavy for leaving Ellie and Jazz again so soon. But they understand. I hope. Though I'm not imagining the looks I get from others' as I proudly wear the ugly Christmas sweater around the airport. It must be quite the sight to see a guy with a punkish aura around him with funnily 'dyed' hair and 'freakish' eyes and leather pants….. wearing an ugly Christmas sweater like it's the greatest thing in the world.

Shaking my head, I wander the familiar streets of San Franskoyo with time to spare as I head straight toward the Lucky Cat Cafe. My luggage is being pulled behind me because there's days to spare on Winter Break and I had texted Aunt Cass earlier and with her okay, I'm allowed to stay a few nights there with them until college is back in session. I also made her promise to tell Tadashi that I'm back yet. I'm hoping that if he doesn't know I'm back it'll give me an advantage.

When I finally reach the cafe, I can see Tadashi and Hiro through the window as they sit at a table with big grins on their faces. It looks like they're having a grand time wrapping various last-minute presents and gifts. I can see Fred, Wasabi, GoGo and Honey Lemon conversing around another table too, probably taking a break from their own holiday plans or nonexistent plans to spend time wit friends who may as well be family. Even Jade is with them- even if she looks slightly uncomfortable. My eyes linger on her for a pained second before I move on.

Aunt Cass is behind the counter counting up money. There's a lot of decorations and even a Christmas Tree that's all lit up. Mochi seems pretty content laying under the tree, batting at various decorations on the tree.

With a big grin on my face, I ignore the _closed_ sign as I burst through the front door loudly.

" _~On the first day of Christmas Danny returned to us,"_ I sing the play of words of the famous Christmas song loudly and clearly.

I grin wildly as the others visibly jump. Aside from GoGo that is, who just quirks an eyebrow at me as she eyes me up and down, taking in my sweater. Tadashi, however, is the one with the most dramatic reaction as he falls out of his chair and onto the floor, causing us all to laugh.

"Danny," Fred announces and runs to me like one of those chick-flick movies, his arms spread out before he launches himself at me.

"It's….nice to see you too Fred?"

I didn't really expect such a reaction from Fred. With a confused expression on my face, I pat his back hesitantly as he hugs me tightly. If I were taller than him, I have no doubt that he'd be hanging from my neck without any chance of letting go. As I look to the others for help, they only come over and join in on the large group hug. Hiro launches himself at me first and hangs down from my neck with a childish, goofy grin on his face. Nearly all of them are hugging me tightly, but it's Wasabi who manages to practically pick us all up in a huge hug. The hug causes me to drop all the luggage on the ground, but considering nothing is really breakable- and that which is is wrapped tightly in tissue paper and newspaper to protect it.

"Guys, I'm dying in 'ere," I joke as I wheeze a bit at the tight embrace.

It takes a moment, but eventually they all let me go so I can say hello to Tadashi. It feels a bit like a movie as they all kind of part ways so I can get to Tadashi as they stand on the sidelines nervously. It feels like I'm on my way to my own funeral as the tension becomes thick. For a moment, I wonder why they're so nervous about me and Tadashi then I remember that I did leave without letting him know until I was at the airport causing me to pale as I look at him. He's not even looking at me. He looks a bit snotty as he puts his nose up in the air with his arms crossed, a hurt expression in his eyes.

"Heyyy Tadashi," I greet him a bit cautiously and slowly as I approach him, "Would it help if I say that I'm very very sorry and won't do it again?"

He doesn't give me a reaction, causing me to take extreme action. I give him _the look._ It's been mastered over all the times I've used it on Jazz and Ellie's own little look has helped me improve my own. I give him the best puppy dog look I can manage causing him to falter as he finally just sighs and takes a step forward.

"….Okay, you're forgiven."

Almost instantly all the tension leaves the room as we all breathe a sigh of relief. I give Tadashi a slightly sheepish smile as I give him a somewhat awkward side hug to add to my apology, only for him to twist and lock me into a headlock as he ruffles my hair.

"But don't do it again, knucklehead."

"Hey! I'm not a kid," I protest as I swat at his hands before breaking free of the headlock.

I give him an exaggerated pout, but that only makes him laugh at me.

"-Be nice, you two," Aunt Cass calls from her place at the counter, "-After all, with Danny spending the last few days of Winter Break here…."

She trails off a bit with a spark in her eyes, knowing exactly what she's doing. Her words cause me to give her a face, which she brushes off with a laugh. But it also causes the others to look at me with a bit of surprise at the news before there's smiles all around. I have to say, I'm not sure whose smiling the biggest. Hiro or Tadashi. Either way, I end up in the middle of another hug with both of them.

But just as they pull out of the hug, Tadashi seems to notice what it is that I'm wearing. He eyes me up and down and gets a sly smirk on his face as he nudges my shoulder.

"So…. Who's wearing the Dad Sweater now?"

I stick my tongue out at him mockingly before I go to grab my bags. The look in his eyes tell me that this isn't over and the teasing has just begun… Damn it. Maybe I shouldn't have worn this sweater after all?

* * *

It seems like a life time before the others finally leave. I had given them all their gifts (all aside from Tadashi, Aunt Cass and Hiro). A new PDA system for Wasabi so he can organize everything with a press of a button- I don't think I've ever seen him cry like that before. A nice sweater for Jade- a light blue, slightly girly one that I think suits her; she was surprised I had even gotten her something and kept apologizing for not having a gift to give in return. I'm pretty sure I'll be getting something from her later on- she seemed very determined to find me something. GoGo got a skull key chain- she seemed to like it. Honey Lemon got a very nice dress from one of the more high-end fashion stores of New York. Thankfully, I had guessed her size right as she did inform me that it would fit her perfectly. Fred got more comic books and a small ghost detection advice to hook onto his belt loop ( it was slightly adjusted so that it didn't pick me up). Most of them made it pretty clear that, since they weren't expecting me to return today, they'll give me a present later. Though Aunt Cass did give me a nice sweater, claiming it was from her, Hiro and Tadashi. Since diner was about to burn, however, I didn't get a chance to give them their gifts yet. But I did have a chance to change into the sweater they gave me. It fits me like a glove and it is really comfortable, I'll admit.

We all gather around the kitchen table upstairs in the living area. Mochi makes himself comfortable in my lap as I sit at the kitchen table, eying everything slightly since it's the first time I've really been upstairs before. Hiro is practically bouncing in his seat at the table, a big grin on his face as he proudly wears a Christmas hat on his head. Tadashi is laughing a bit at his little brother's antics, shaking his head a bit.

I turn my attention to Aunt Cass as she places various plates on the table, most are typical things that one would see for a Christmas diner. Smoked ham. Mashed potatoes. Green beans. Various types of casseroles. Though I raise an eyebrow at the hot wings briefly before reminding me that nothing about Aunt Cass is really 'normal.' I did offer to help her with the cooking, but she insisted that the best way I could help was to place all my things in the boys' rooms while she cooked. Which I did. Everything but a small bag containing their gifts are stored up in the small split bedroom- which makes me wonder slightly if I'm imposing on them since there's not exactly a lot of room for everyone.

"-And here we go," Aunt Cass places the last dish on the table, "Dig in, everybody!"

"-Actually," I interrupt before they can get too distracted by the food, "I do have everyone's gifts which I-"

I stop briefly as I see the looks on everyone's faces. Tadashi is pouting at me, probably wanting nothing more than to dig into the food. Hiro has a fork stopped half way to his mouth, the blankest look on his face screams _dude are you serious this is eating time._ Aunt Cass even has the _don't you dare interupt my diner_ look. I swallow thickly and flush slightly,

"-Can do after diner," I finish lamely, causing Aunt Cass to nod with acceptance.

"Exactly," Aunt Cass continues, "And Tadashi and Hiro can take you down to their little lab in the garage after diner."

She nods and makes it clear that no one is going to go against her decision. No one ever argues with Aunt Cass. I gulp a bit thickly and eye the food. It looks good. Smells even better. But maybe I didn't think this plan all the way through because I can't exactly sprinkle it with ectoplasm… Or maybe I can. My hand goes into my pocket where I fiddle with the thin vial of ectoplasm- something I sneaked onto the plane because of my love for those little packets of airline peanuts.

The second I notice that no one is paying attention to me, I turn the vial invisible, just in case, so that the ectoplasm isn't as visible and sprinkle it quickly over the food. I end up putting the first bite into my mouth at the right moment as Aunt Cass turns to me. Seeing that I'm eating, she grins in a pleased manner with a nod of approval.

Oh my God. This food is _really_ delicious. And the best part? It's not going to give me food poisoning.

* * *

The second diner is over, I find myself being dragged to the basement/garage/lab area by Hiro. He's quick, but somehow I still manage to leave the small little green box containing a nice necklace for Aunt Cass on the table for her before I'm being whisked away. Hiro's grin is stretched across his face a bit goofy as he talks animatedly about the lab and his battle bots. Tadashi follows us, laughing at me since I'm 'trapped' by a young teen.

 _'Save me,'_ I mouth to him as I get dragged away, but it only causes him to laugh louder and stronger as he continues to follow us. I struggle to keep a grasp on the small bag containing their presents in my free hand. Though considering Tadashi's present weighs a ton, it's hard to hold it with my struggle on balance. Heh. Tadashi's present is _small but mighty._ Funny now that I think about it.

"You'll love the lab," Hiro continues, oblivious to my plea for help, "We even have a 3D printer! And we have everything you could need for some home robotics projects! Tadashi made a majority of Baymax here before he went to SFIT…."

He continues to babble excitedly. It's almost refreshing to see him so genuinely excited like this. Judging from the gleam in Tadashi's eyes, it's refreshing for him too. It's not long before I'm being pulled into the actual garage itself, but as soon as Hiro tries to bring me past the threshold, I hold my ground, causing him to stumble as he struggles to pull me. My feet are firmly planted and it's pretty clear that I'm not going anywhere. Once Hiro realizes that pulling me is pointless, he gives me a big pout.

"~Danny, come on, man~"

"Hiro," I say gently, "I still have presents for Tadashi and you. I can't exactly give them to you if you're going to slip into robotics babble and hold my wrist the whole time."

Hiro flushes slightly, crossing his arms with a little huff. But he doesn't protest against my comment. Tadashi passes me with amusement and enters the lab ahead of me, gesturing for me to sit down on the couch. I nod at him and walk carefully with the presents to go sit down on the couch beside him. Though Hiro is looking at me with mild interest as I start to pull out a small rectangular box from the bag, it's pretty clear he's still being a bit huffy from the redness on his face.

"Don't give me that look, Hiro," I tsk at him, "otherwise I can just… give your gift to Tadashi..."

I trail off a bit slyly as I start to hand the gift off to Tadashi, only for Hiro to snap to attention as he stumbles forward.

"Wait- no, I'm sorry-"

He stumbles to the couch in a hurry and practically snatches the gift away from Tadashi and I as we just look at him in amusement, holding back chuckles at his behavior. He looks at me a bit sheepishly from his outburst, but I just gesture for him to go ahead and open it. With a giddy expression on his face, he plops down on the floor, sitting down in a criss-cross position and tears open the present like a small child.

The second that he takes out a small case with a metallic belt, he looks at me a bit confused. It's clear he's struggling to find something to say, but after a moment, with a confused, slightly forced polite expression, he lets out a small, questionable _thank you?_ Even Tadashi looks a bit confused as he looks at me from the corner of his eyes. I give Tadashi a small little wink and a cheeky grin, knowing that he may not be too happy about this, but Hiro showed such an interest in ghosts, I can't help myself from helping out the little ghost-hunter.

"That, Hiro," I explain, "is a miniature ghost hunting starter kit, made by _moi._ The belt is a Specter Deflector, wear it, turn it on, and not a single ghost will be able to touch, nonetheless _possess_ , though the term is actually _overshadow,_ you. If a ghost touches you, it will be shocked. In that case, you'll find some miniature ghost equipment- the thermos is actually a ghost containment device, you press the green button to suck them up, the other to release."

He opens the case as I speak, eagerly beginning to check it all out. He even puts on the Specter Deflector, turning it on with ease as he watches it light up with glee. All of these things are old weapons that were in the storage boxes in my room. After some mild tweaks to get rid of some of the flaws, I thought it may make a good present for Hiro since he did show an interest for ghost hunting and how to do it. Not that I'd take him ghost hunting with me for Zone ghosts anytime soon. But this way if/when they show up, he at least has something to protect him.

"-The little wrist band is actually a wrist ray, it shoots out small blasts meant to harm/disable ghosts momentarily. Now, keep in mind, this doesn't mean that we'll go ghost hunting together anytime soon, but it won't hurt to practice before we go out ghost hunting together..."

I trail off a bit as I see the stars in Hiro's eyes, obviously excited at the idea of ghost hunting with me as he eagerly looks over the new technology. Tadashi's expression, however, isn't nearly as excited. There's a small frown on his face as he furrows his brow- his signature, _I don't approve_ look. I nudge him gently, whispering into his ear.

"Hey, chill, Tadashi, the wrist ray doesn't hurt people and it's all kid-friendly, promise."

"That's not why I'm making this face and you know that," he whispers back a bit harshly, "You can't take him ghost hunting."

"He's almost fourteen, 'Dashi, he can make his own decisions," I retort, "And ghost hunting is very, very dangerous so I don't plan on taking him anytime soon."

Our whispered argument has a bit of fire behind it and for a moment, it's like deja vu of back when we fought about the existence of ghosts.

"So why the gifts," he continues to fire back, "Why say you'll take him?"

"Because this way he's safe from them," I tsk, "Ghosts are very dangers without that stuff, they'd easily overpower him and _you."_

" _-but-"_

Tadashi doesn't get a chance to finish as Hiro coughs a bit to get our attention. He's sitting there on the floor a bit awkwardly, rolling a bit as he grips his ankles with an expression that says _I didn't hear anything._

"Um as nice as this is," Hiro speaks up, "I'm curious what you got my brother."

I blink blankly at him for a moment, realizing that with our little heated argument, I actually forgot about his present. I mumble a small, _yeah sure,_ as I dig through the bag to find Tadashi's present. His was the most expensive present I got this year, aside from Ellie's huge pile of toys. A small anxious bubble starts to form in my gut as I just hope that he likes it. Taking a deep inhale to calm myself, I take out a small black box. The sight of a small black box causes Hiro to bite his lip as he looks on anxiously. Tadashi flushes as I start to hand it to him tenderly, stuttering a bit as he tries to give a simple _thanks._

He visibly swallows anxiously, twiddling his fingers a bit as he struggles to get the box open. It takes a moment, but finally, he pulls out a chained necklace. There are three separate little amulets on them- each containing an element symbol (complete with the atomic number and their atomic weight). Nitrogen (N) Erbium (Er). Deuterium (D). Because of their element symbols, the amulets, when together, spell nerd. I figured it was the perfect gift for him.

Hiro is already laughing and it seems Tadashi can't decide if he loves it or thinks it's dorky as he stares at it blankly before finally turning to me with amusement in his eyes,

"Really?"

"Well, you are a science _nerd."_


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Do you ever just want to scream because you want two characters to get along and then shit happens?**

 **'Enjoy' the chapter, please review! Thank you for all the favorites and follows!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER NINETEEN**

* * *

 _ **A Month Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Hiro's ghost hunting training begins sooner rather than later. Mostly because the little mini-nerd doesn't have much patience and frankly, I can't wait to get started either. So for the past few weeks, we've agreed to meet in the garage on the days that Tadashi is busy at work to train. Considering that Winter Break just ended and I'm back at the dorm in the college, it's a lot easier to dodge Tadashi and not make him suspicious.

So far, I've taught him some of the basic things about ghosts, ghost rules, the Ghost Zone, and what the best ways to fight a ghost are. Thankfully, none of this training requires much, if any, contact because I doubt that Hiro has even turned off the Specter Deflector since I gave it to him. Maybe I should have waited to give it to him later because being so close to him, and by extension the Deflector, makes me nervous.

But this is only training. A way to make sure he's safe and Tadashi is safe because I know I can't always protect everyone even if it pains me to think about what may happen if something goes wrong without me there to protect them. I refuse to take Hiro hunting until he's properly trained and even then it's iffy, but knowing that he could take care of himself in a ghost emergency would bring me a lot of peace of mind.

Besides, Hiro is a lot easier to get on board with the whole ghost hunting training thing than Tadashi. I have a sick feeling in my gut that whenever Tadashi finds out that Hiro and I have been meeting for the past few weeks to train that he won't be happy. But as much as I adore Tadashi, this is really something I have to do. But I have Fred in on this whole thing- even if it means that I had to promise to teach him more about ghosts and the Zone and some basic ghost fighting stuff later- which means that while Hiro and I are at the garage training, Fred is at the lab as a lookout to let us know whenever Tadashi leaves.

It takes a while to get from the lab to the garage which works in our favor because it gives us time to clean things up. At the moment, we have several little 3D print outs of bedsheets ghosts on poles for Hiro to aim at with the wrist ray along with several other cutouts that will pop up at random intervals to test his reaction time. So far, he has yet to successfully shoot one.

"Arms straight, Hiro," I correct his form from a distance, "Keep a firm grip on your wrist, both eyes open, aim and then fire. Keep your feet apart, stand your ground firmly."

"Ya know," Hiro quips as he attempts to correct his stance, "It may be more helpful if you actually help me correct my stance instead of just telling me."

He makes a face at me causing me to crinkle my nose as my eyes go to the Specter Deflector around his waist. Hiro catches onto my stare and drops his arms to look at the device. A hand gingerly touches it in confusion before he looks back up at me.

"...Why are you always so hesitant around this? You're the one who gave it to me and it doesn't seem to have any short circuits or anything."

I wince a bit and rub the back of my neck sheepishly, a small white lie is already forming in my mind, but I can only hope that Hiro would believe it.

"It's an invention of my parents' and after a small accident I had with one when I was a kid, they make me kinda… nervous. Scared even. But it does work, so you don't have to worry."

Scared sums it up pretty well. No matter how powerful I get, those Specter Deflectors make it feel like I'm getting electrocuted. It hurts to say the least, but at least I know firsthand that it works. Seeing the gleam in my eyes, Hiro lets out a soft _oh_ and then doesn't hesitate to click the device off before he takes it off entirely and tosses it over to the couch, causing me to visibly relax. The tension is released from my shoulders and I can breathe easily again without worrying about accidentally getting shocked- if I actually got shocked by it, I doubt that I could come up with a reasonable explanation because Hiro is just as much of a robotics nerd as his brother and I.

"Better," Hiro questions as he gestures toward the device on the couch.

"Better," I nod, a small smile on my face as I calmly make my way to him.

Now that the Specter Deflector is gone, I can easily help him correct his stand better. I motion for him to get into position and he does so with his arms out and a hand on the wrist ray. I tap his foot gently and he moves it a bit more, causing me to nod in approval,

"Good. Always keep your feet apart and have them even with your shoulders. They should be parallel."

I tap the back of his knee with my foot, causing him to stumble slightly which makes me tsk,

"Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground, don't put all your weight on one foot."

I can visibly see the correction being made and as I make my way beside him, I can see the determination on his face. He's serious about this. Some part of me hopes that this will help him focus his attention on ghost hunting rather than bot fighting. But all I can do is hope to steer him in the right direction. Forcing him to do or not do something will only cause problems.

I gently move his arms so they're more steady and then help him aim at one of the ghosts and after a small countdown, he fires. The wrist ray shot at the little ghost, shattering it to pieces that causes me and Hiro to cheer at the success. We both let out a serious of whoops and cheers and high fives and I can't help but ruffle his hair fondly in excitement. Our excitement is loud, loud enough that I can faintly hear ringing that I just brush off as just hearing things.

"Way to go," I praise, "Told you that you could do it!"

"Pft, I knew I could do it," Hiro brushes off the praise lightly, puffing out his chest, "So the real question is when can we actually hunt ghosts?"

I give him a small amused smile as I pat him on the head, causing him to swat at my hands with a small protest.

"You only just now got a good shot, it's going to be awhile before we actually go hunting."

"But I want to shoot some ghosts," Hiro whines, "And not to mention how cool it'd be to actually see these ghosts you keep talking about, maybe even a few experiments and-"

The word _experiments_ causes a drastic change in my attitude as my face falls. My jaw tenses as I grind my teeth slightly, holding back a few choice comments. There was something in his voice that grated under my skin. Images and noises from the Battle flash through my mind- the screams of ghosts ending, comforting small crying ghosts as they mourn, helping newly formed ghosts…

Forcing myself to stay calm, I kneel down to Hiro's level and put my hand on his shoulder, causing him to look up at me with confusion.

"Hiro," I say firmly, "Don't talk like that. Don't talk like they don't have feelings, emotions, _pain._ They are people- some more so than others. But just like people, some are good, some are bad. It's important that if you come across a ghost, talk to them first. Talking can solve a lot more problems than you think. But I promise you that ghosts are just as human as we are with their own minds and souls. No unwanted experiments, no forceful capturing of peaceful ghosts, got it?"

I can see the gears rotating in his mind as he takes in my words before he finally seems to get what I'm saying. His mouth parts in a silent _oh_ with a bit of horror in his eyes as he looks up at me, giving me a frantic nod signaling he's agreeing. I give him a tight smile and pat him on the shoulder a bit before I stand back up,

"Good, now let's get back to shooting..."

He looks like he's about to say something more, an apology perhaps, but he doesn't get the chance to speak as the door to the garage opens. We both can't help but stand there in silent horror as we stare at the figure in the doorway. _Tadashi._ My mouth goes dry as I lick my lips slightly, thinking back to the faint ringtone I had heard earlier. I suppose it wasn't my imagination after all if Tadashi is standing here now.

For a moment, it's just silent. Pure and utter, _deafening_ silence. The only thing I can hear is Hiro's erratic heartbeat as he stands next me, both of waiting in tense suspense at what Tadashi will say. But Tadashi says nothing. His eyes are burning as they sweep across the room, lingering briefly on the little 'ghosts' and the small, soft pieces of what once was a 'ghost' before they land on the wrist ray around Hiro's wrist. Almost instantly, Hiro tries to take off the wrist ray and shoves it behind his back, acting as if the damage isn't already done.

His face starts turning red as his cheeks puff up. I can see his hands clenching at his sides before he finally _explodes._ All the anger and the frustration pour out of him at once.

" _What the hell is going on?!"_

I'm almost worried he's going to have some sort of breakdown from how red his face is turning. Hiro takes the smart choice of slowly backing away into the background before running up the back stairs to get away- causing me to briefly glare in his direction since he's left me with an exploding Tadashi. Taking a deep breath, I focus on Tadashi.

"Just calm down," I try to say calmly, "Hiro and I were just practicing some ghost hunting skills- I did tell you I was going to train him, remember?"

I try to defuse the situation to the best of my ability before it can escalate. But it's getting harder and harder for me to stay calm. His emotions are so strong and overpowering that I can see it in his aura as it starts to reflect into my own aura and emotions. I can already feel the anger starting to seep into my veins and it's getting harder and harder to ignore. My hands are twitching slightly as I try to keep my cool, but in my heart I know that it's useless.

"I thought you were kidding," Tadashi snaps, "My God, Danny, you can't believe for a second that I would be okay with _this_ -"

He gestures toward the garage frantically, his eyes wide,

"You can't- can't just…. God…."

He struggles to find the words, muttering a bit with words that don't make much sense. He runs his hands through his hair frantically. My hands clench at my sides as the anger I've been trying to push out finally becomes too much to hold back.

"You know I don't joke about things like this," I snap back, "And Hiro needs to know how to protect himself!"

Tadashi's eyes snap to me, so quickly that it wouldn't have surprised me if he has whiplash. His eyes are harsh and hooded with emotions, his face contorting into an unattractive scowl.

"From what," Tadashi spits out, " _ghosts don't exist."_

My jaw tenses and I can feel my eyes flash an angry shade of green for a brief moment. My shoulders square and for a moment, I do nothing more than just stare at him in a hot rage. I thought we got over that. I thought he was _okay_ with it, being open minded. I thought that maybe we connecting to ht level where my belief in ghosts and his disbelief wouldn't be a problem but _apparently not._

I can feel everything unraveling, coming undone and just _crashing_ all at once.

Without another word, I storm out of the garage.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Happy Halloween~ Have a spook-tacular holiday~  
**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

The next day, I'm up bright and early before anyone else. Wasabi's bed is empty, which doesn't really surprise me with how much time he's been spending with Jade. But my little nightstand is not as empty as it usually is. Beside the small alarm clock and lamp, there's a tiny box with a nearby note. I quirk an eyebrow and for a moment, I even dare to hope that it's Tadashi who left the mysterious box. Maybe it's even an apology note. I've always favored apology notes. It's a sweet, romantic gesture in my eyes to leave a little note of apology to someone whose dear to you. Hell, if it is Tadashi who wrote it, I think I'd forgive him in a heartbeat from the sheer romanticism of it all.

But my hope is crushed when I see that it's Wasabi's handwriting on one note and an unfamiliar, more feminine handwriting on the other. I swallow thickly, thinking to myself about how stupid it was to even think it was Tadashi, as a lump forms in my throat and my stomach twists in displeasure. But I force myself to think a bit more positive that Wasabi left a note for me.

 _Danny,_

 _Jade and I are heading out for an early day out together, but Jade wanted to leave her (late) Christmas present for you._

 _Take care of yourself and you better not sleep the whole day away._

 _-Wasabi_

I open the little present that's been left by Jade and find a small bracelet with two tiny charms on it- one is a little 'ghost' and the other is a little speech bubble reading 'boo.' Cute. Apparently she's already found out what it is that I'm working on, which considering her boyfriend is Wasabi, it's not that hard to believe.

With a small smile, I slip the bracelet on before I start to think about what I should do today. True, I could go work on the portal. But the odds of me running into Tadashi in the lab, even in this early, is still a bit too high for my liking. So the questions remains, where else can I go? Obviously the cafe is out.

I click my tongue a bit in thought before I remember someone at the lab mentioning a nearby 24 hour gym- the perfect place to work out my frustration and flex some much needed muscles.

With a smirk on my face, I get ready in a pair of sweats, a loose long-sleeved shirt, and a gym bag and head out.

* * *

When Wasbai mentioned an early start on a day out, he wasn't kidding. It's early enough that even the streets are pretty empty aside from a few people who are likely heading to work and the few college students that look like they haven't slept in days. It almost feels like a zombie apocalypse from the few groans and moans I hear from some of the more sleep deprived students.

Still, I end up finding the gym easily enough. Like I've heard, it's open and there's a small light-up sign that says _open 24-7_ along with a small list of some of the things the gym includes such as showers, restroom facilities, boxing ring, etc. The list goes on and the more I read, the more I nod to myself in approval. Sounds like a pretty decent gym. With a small grin, I enter the gym with a cheerful expression on my face.

My eyes briefly sweep over the interior of the gym, taking in a few of the details that stick out. Punching bags. Weights. Benches. Mirrors. Boxing ring. Various other needed equipment and materials. Three doors leading to three separate shower/restroom areas (male, female, and what looks to be a gender neutral one too). A few body positivity posters are around the room along with other positive posters with positive messages (ranging from religion to LGBTA+ issues).

There's not many people here. A few muscular guys are at it on the weights in some sort of contest- though the muscular woman with them seems to be winning. Another person is on the treadmill with their earbuds in. Aside from that, I don't really see anyone in the large, spacy gym. Well anyone aside from the person behind the counter.

"Ah, a newbie," the person behind the counter greets me, "Welcome to Gym Neutral, a gym for everyone of every kind. Name's A.D., as in the letter _a,_ the letter _b,_ owner of the gym and I'm happy to have you here so if you can come over here we can go over getting you a membership so you can fully enjoy everything here."

I can see why it's called _Gym Neutral._ A catchy name, I may add, for a gym that apparently prides itself in being a safe environment for _'everyone of every kind.'_ Even the person behind the counter doesn't seem to be binary-conforming with a mix of both feminine and masculine features and physique. Though I have to admit they don't exactly look like someone who would own a gym since they're rather lean and soft, my eyes traveling along them slightly. Their hair is short/half shaved and dyed blue. Green eyes covered by thin, black glasses. Pale skin littered with freckles. A cocked hip as they lean on the counter with their elbow.

Their thin, feminine hands hand me the membership form to fill out, but their eyes trail up and down my form. Even with sweats and a long-sleeves, my physique isn't exactly hidden since the shirt is a bit more form-fitting. I shift a bit under their gaze, flushing slightly as I avoid eye contact in every way I can.

"Hmm the gym isn't the only thing for everyone of every kind," A.D. winks suggestively at me, causing my whole face to turn a vivid shade of red.

I cough a bit into my elbow. Any other time, before Tadashi especially, I may have pursued them. But today I'm looking for a different type of workout than what A.D. is suggesting. Thankfully, I'm saved by the little bell that signals someone else is entering the gym.

"Stop flirting with every single person that comes in, Adrian," a feminine voice calls out, "I can't imagine that it's good for business."

A.D., or rather Adrian, pouts slightly, whining slightly at the comment, but seems to give up as they give a small _yeah fine_ and hand me a pen to fill out the form. I carelessly take the pen as I turn around to greet a familiar face. Her eyes go to A.D. briefly, giving them a _stop you little shit_ look before she looks to me. She eyes me slightly before smirking with a small nod of acknowledgment,

"Hey Danny."

She pops her bubble gum carelessly as she rests a hand on her hip. She's not in her usual clothes, which is understandable since it is a gym after all. Instead, she wears typical stylized sweats and a sports bra under a black opened jacket. A gym bag is lazily swung across her shoulder and there's a towel around her neck- still clean since she has just gotten here.

"Uh hey GoGo," I greet, rubbing the back of my neck, "I didn't know you went to this gym."

"It's the only one I like," she says simply, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, "It's positive and uplifting."

It's kind of hard to believe that she likes the place because it's positive when she says it in such a bland tone with a couldn't-care-less expression on her face. Though from the corner of my eyes, I can see Adrian puff up in pride over the positive comment about their gym, only to get shut down as GoGo continues.

"The only downside is that flirtatious idiot," she jabs her thumb over at A.D., who gives a rather dramatic gesture of being shot in the heart before sinking to the floor.

She says it as if it's a bad thing, but I can see the smile twitching at her lips. She must come here a lot to be on friendly terms with the owner. Though I don't think it takes much to be friendly with A.D. if their open flirtatious attitude is anything to go by. She still eyes A.D. rom the corner of her eyes with a bit of amusement as she pays most of her attention to me and the membership form in my hand.

"Good to see you're finally branching out," she gestures toward the form, "And here I thought the only places you even went to were the lab and the cafe."

"Haha," I snort, "I'll have you know, I'm a very active person."

A.D. opens their mouth to say something, the look in their eyes suggest it's likely to be a more sexual comment, but GoGo waves her hand to cut them off causing them to shut their mouth with a pout.

"Really," GoGo raises one slick eyebrow in question, "Then prove it. Come on."

She grabs my wrist and drags me away farther into the gym causing me to drop the membership form. A.D. sighs and moves from around the corner to pick it up, waving it in the air slightly,

"He still has to be a member!"

"He'll sign it later, A.D."

Well. Apparently I'm going to be a member of the gym then whether I like it or not.

* * *

I pull back my fist and hit the punching bag, harder enough to get my frustration out, but no hard enough that I'm using my full strength. As soon as GoGo had dragged me over to the punching bag, she demanded to see just what I can do. After the first punch it, I just kept going and going… Every punch vents out my frustration and I haven't even grown tired yet. Hell, I haven't even broken a sweat.

But I finally stop when I feel GoGo grab my wrist to keep me from going. Her eyes are hardened and there's something akin to understanding shining in them as she holds my wrist firmly.

"Stop."

"...Why, I can keep going," I reassure her, "I'm not going to hurt myself or anything."

GoGo lets out a snort as she lets go of my wrist for favor of crossing her arms across her chest very sternly. I try hard to ignore how my voice sounds- disbelieving, as if I'm trying to convince myself of something. But GoGo is a having none of it.

"Something's bothering you and just punching a bag isn't going to help," GoGo points out, "I don't do pep talks, I'm not a shoulder to cry on…. But Adrian's made it pretty clear that I'm a damn good listener."

She plops down carelessly on a nearby bench, stretching a bit as she leans against the wall the bench is pressed against. Her eyes leave no room for argument, causing me to sigh as I sit down beside her. By now, the gym's filled up a bit more, but a quick look around us shows that no one is really paying attention to me or her or whatever conversation we're having.

I sigh slightly and run my hands through my hair,

"….Tadashi and I had a fight," I admit softly, "… I was teaching Hiro how to hunt ghosts and Tadashi found out and he lost it…. And maybe I should have asked him if it was okay for me to teach Hiro but he just… He doesn't get it."

GoGo's eyes soften slightly as she adjusts her spot on the bench. There's a small silence between us because I'm not too sure about what to say, but then GoGo speaks up.

"...Doesn't get what?"

" _It,"_ I stress hopelessly, my voice raising slightly, "...He doesn't get _it._ Ghosts. Just everything. _It._ I…"

My voice grows soft as my eyes get a bit moist from tears that just want to fall, the emotion pouring into my words is making it a bit hard to keep my speech consistent and clear.

"He doesn't get it…," I whisper, "….I've seen ghosts, GoGo. I've seen good ones, some are even my friends, but I've seen bad ones. Ones that would destroy the world if someone didn't stop them. Ones that would hurt people without a second thought. Ones that could easily destroy your life or even _end_ it without so much as blinking. And I just want to protect people from that, I want to _help_ people, but there's been times where even I couldn't do anything or I was too late and I… I just want Hiro and Tadashi to be safe. Is that so wrong?"

I look up to GoGo with pleading eyes. I know maybe I'm talking to the wrong person. Maybe she'll just shut me down. Maybe she won't get it either. But instead, when I see her face, there's nothing but a foreign softness with understanding.

"No," GoGo finally admits, "Nothing wrong that that…. But I have to get going. Unlike you, I can't afford this much time off with my project."

Gogo stands up, stretching briefly before she picks up her bag. She gives me a small nod and starts to walk way, but stops suddenly. She pops her bubble gum before she finally turns to me one last time, glancing at me from over her shoulder.

"...Tadashi may not get it, Danny, but he will eventually. Even if he doesn't believe in ghosts."


	22. Chapter Twenty-One

**Due to being ahead of schedule, I decided to post a chapter today (next chapter will be posted Saturday). Also included a deleted scene that I began to write before deleting it out the story as a special (late) Halloween treat.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

GoGo's words still stick with me, even if it's been a few weeks since she said them. But it's hard to believe that Tadashi will get it anytime soon, especially since he's been nothing but difficult now. Every bit of progress we made is just _undone._ It just went back to the way it was before, which I know is making everyone in the lab frustrated- I'm still not going to ask Fred about the betting ring he's obviously made with some of the other people at the lab about Tadashi and I.

Every single day the past few weeks is just petty pranks. Vicious words. Sly comments. Going out of each other's way to make the other frustrated. Hell, I even go to the cafeteria just to take the last of his favorite sandwich to bother him or play obnoxious music. Plant little bugs in his lab so it plays songs like _suck a dick_ and _the penis song_ on an endless loop.

And it's not just me. Tadashi is playing a big part in our little feud too. Ignoring me. Making side-comments that just lead to us fighting. The more and more we're in so much as the same room, the more patience I begin to lose.

I let out another frustrating grunt as I hit the punching bag. The anger and frustration of it all has been building up over the week to the point if I don't get it out somehow, I'll explode. Meditating can only do so much. My anger flows through my body to my fist and each punch causes the punching bag to shake a bit unnaturally from the sheer force of each hit.

It's three o'clock in the morning, but it is a 24 hour gym so it's not like it's illegal. But it is pretty empty. A.D. is here, though, sort of. We may or may not have had a bit of a one-night stand in the gym's showers earlier this week, but A.D. acts as if it never really happened since they have continued to just talk to me nicely and politely without bringing it up. I think they knew that I was just using them to help with my frustration, but if it bothered them, they haven't shown it. Right now, however, A.D. is just passed out at the counter, using a slightly too small hoodie (which suspiciously looks like one of GoGo's) as a pillow with a small trail of drool trailing along their jawline as they slumber peacefully. Considering they have yet to wake up, they're easily the heaviest sleeper I've known.

" _No flapjacks for you Dracula,"_ A.D. mumbles slightly as they shift.

Well. Heaviest sleeper as well as a sleep-talker anyway. Whatever they're dreaming about, I'm not sure and I don't think I want to know because so far I've heard things like _that tickles, Yoda we must save the world,_ _Oprah I'd be honored, yes it is easy to live my dream Ellen_ and my ever-favorite, _you're not my real dad,_ _Mr. Springer, and I'm not gonna star in your show._

I've used my little 'trick' already to temporary disable the cameras in case I let go a bit too far. The odds of that happening are rather high, all because of _Tadashi._ I grind my teeth slightly as I continue furiously hitting the already slightly beaten down punching bag _._

Sometimes it seems like it's hard to care for someone who makes things hard sometimes, but you never really stop caring about them.

With one last furious punch, pouring a bit more of my energy into it, the punching bag comes off the hook and falls to the ground. I stand there a bit out of breath considering I've been hitting it for at least the past two hours. My fists are a bit raw and I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my half-dead veins. I take short, deep breaths trying to get myself under control. I can feel the cold sweat soaking through my shirt, but my body is still cold to the touch due to my ghostly core.

I… I feel better though. Physical exercise like this is just misplaced aggression, but it works. At least, it works for my anger. My mind still drifts back to Tadashi and I hate to admit just how much it pains me that we're back to fighting. Even pains me more to admit just how much I miss him, talking to him, making him laugh. Hell, at this point, I don't even know how much progress has been made with Baymax.

The bell signaling someone else entering the gym grabs my attention as I turn my head. The cold sweat is dripping down my face and I wipe some of it off my brow with a tired look in my eyes. I absently grab the small nearby towel and dab my neck and face as I look at the newcomer. But as soon as it really hits me who it is, my face drops.

 _Tadashi._

He seems a bit hesitant, looking around with cautious eyes, lingering on the 'owner' asleep at the counter before his attention goes to the punching bag on the floor before he finally looks at me. I'm sure I'm not exactly the most pleasant looking right now. Sweaty. Out of breath. Not to mention the possible lingering anger that's likely still showing on my face. God, I'm a wreck.

Somehow, I manage to give him a wry, cautious smile.

"So I guess ignoring me at the lab wasn't enough?"

Tadashi visibly winces as he swallows down the lump in his throat. He takes a small step forward, struggling with what to say before he finally lets out a sigh.

"I… I came here to apologize."

I raise a small skeptic eyebrow,

"At three in the morning?"

To my surprise, he doesn't huff. He doesn't give me attitude. He doesn't even get mad at the dismissive tone in my voice. Instead, he gives me a sheepish grin with a small blush forming on his face as he scratches at the back of his neck.

"I… I was afraid if I waited till morning I'd chicken out," he admits sheepishly, "I went to your dorm first, but you weren't there. Wasabi wasn't there either so I figured he was with Jade so I called GoGo. She told me you might be here and even gave me her member pass to get in at this hour…. So yeah… I'm sorry. I'm sorry I've been a dick. I'm sorry for what I said and the way I've been acting."

He coughs a bit uncomfortably, shifting the weight of his feet slightly. He still has a nervous expression on his still flushed face, eying me cautiously to see if he's going to be forgiven. My face softens slightly as I see the _nerd_ necklace I got him for Christmas peaking up from under his shirt slightly. But I don't answer in time, causing him to continue.

"-I mean, I love my family so much and I don't want anything to happen to Hiro or to Aunt Cass and I just- I saw you with Hiro and I… I don't want him learning this stuff because, whether ghosts are real or not, it can be so dangerous and I don't want that life for him and then… You also kinda went behind my back. And that hurt. So I got angry and defensive and-"

"-And now you've come to your senses," I chime in amusement at his little rant, causing him to flush even more.

"-Actually GoGo kinda _knocked_ some sense into me," he corrects, "...Quite literally, I may add, and she has a mean right hook."

He rubs his arm a bit thoughtfully, wincing at just the memory of it. I can believe it. GoGo doesn't come to the gym for nothing, she's actually pretty fit. I guess she has to be to able to go as fast as she does on a bike. Plus a part of me believes she just wants to be able to beat the hell out of someone if she has to. Tadashi is still pretty flushed from his little rant as he shuffles on his feet, causing me to smile a bit as I take a step forward.

I clasp his shoulder gently,

"I'm sorry too, 'Dashi, I haven't exactly been cooperative either…. So tell ya what, we head to that nifty 24 diner I saw nearby and get some waffles. My treat."

Even if the waffles may give me some serious food poisoning later, it'd totally be worth it if it means putting back together what friendship and sort-of-romance Tadashi and I have. Tadashi relaxes instantly, the worry and stress draining from his face as he looks up at me with thankfulness.

"You know what? That sounds pretty good. But only if we can get some tea to go with it."

I let out a small laugh at his words, tossing my head back with it as I pat him on the shoulder.

"What? No coffee," I tease, nudging him lightly as I grab my gym bag.

"It's three in the morning, I don't think either of us can exactly handle coffee right now," Tadashi says dryly.

We both begin to head toward the door, laughing a bit to ourselves with our arms draped across each other in a sort of side-hug as we walk in a way that only drunks or couples do. Apologies, it seems, can really go a long way when you mean it. Because being like this now, I would have never thought that just days ago we were muttering curses at each other in a petty fight. It's like none of that ever happened. I guess that's how it is sometimes when you care about someone.

As we pass the counter where A.D. is still sleeping, I stop briefly and let go of Tadashi to knock on the counter loudly. The sudden loud noise startles A.D. as they let out a yelp and tumble a bit to the floor. Considering the transmale (who has made it clear after my third time here that they like they/them pronouns or he/him pronouns) wears two inch spiked heels even here at the gym, I imagine that the tumble could have hurt.

They recover quickly as they shoot up, their eyes frantic with a messy look about them. What hair they do have, since most of it shaved short, is all over the place, their glasses are crooked, and their shirt is disheveled. Not to mention the bags forming under their eyes.

"I'm up, I'm up!"

A.D. fixes their glasses and wipes the drool away with their hand with a mildly disgusted expression. Tadashi quirks an eyebrow at me slightly, wondering why I woke the obviously sleep-deprived person up, but I just give him my best _eh_ expression. Somehow or another, my hand has snaked its way back around his shoulders as we stand in front of the counter, but he doesn't seem to notice or mind it.

"A.D., I'm heading out. Try not to stay here all night."

They huff a bit as they work on fixing their shirt and hair.

"I don't stay here all night," A.D. tries to deny, with a small whine.

"Yes you do. But I digress. 'Dashi and I are going to go get waffles, wanna join us?"

Would it be a bit awkward? Possibly. Especially since A.D. was more or less kind of a rebound, but what can I say? A.D. is a good person, a bit crazy sometimes and very open about their thoughts, opinions and flirtatious comments, but they are a nice person. I feel kinda bad just leaving them here all night, especially since I've noticed that they don't really seem to go anywhere. It seems every time I've come in, no matter what time it was, they were around doing something in the gym or sleeping.

A.D. eyes my hand around Tadashi cautiously with a bit of hesitant before they just shrug.

"Normally, I wouldn't say no to waffles, especially since random food trips are kind of my thing, but I'd hate to interrupt whatever _this_ is between you two cuties, so I'm gonna say no."

Tadashi flushes at A.D.'s words, stuttering a bit but doesn't move to get away from my grasp. A.D. just watches with a bit of amusement, but I'm not fazed.

"You have to get out of the gym sometime, don't think I've noticed that you only spend your time here," I point out a bit accusingly.

A.D. pouts at my words,

"If you're worried that much, I'll go call GoGo up and we can do something later. The girl's an absolute blast to hang with and it's always funny seeing her call out other people's bullshit in public…. Granted, that's something we have common. But you two have fun."

A.D. waves us both off and after a second of hesitation, I just shrug with a small _ah well_ and head out. But we don't make it out the door before A.D. calls out to us,

"And remember to use a condom!"

 _Damn it._

* * *

 **DELETED SCENE**

* * *

Because of the lack of other people in the windowless gym and A.D. is fast asleep without a care in the world, my shirt is already discarded into my bag to make for easier movements and so I don't soak it when I start to sweat. My night's been filled with nothing but nightmares and flashbacks of the horror of the Battle of Amity so I figure this at least a semi-productive way of getting out my frustration.

I've used my little 'trick' already to temporary disable the cameras in case I let go a bit too far. The odds of that happening are rather high, all because of _Tadashi._ I grind my teeth slightly as I continue furiously hitting the already slightly beaten down punching bag _._

Sometimes it seems like it's hard to care for someone who makes things hard sometimes, but you never really stop caring about them.

With one last furious punch, pouring a bit more of my energy into it, the punching bag comes off the hook and falls to the ground. I stand there a bit out of breath considering I've been hitting it for at least the past two hours. My fists are a bit raw and I can feel the adrenaline pumping through my half-dead veins. I take short, deep breaths trying to get myself under control.

"….Oh my god…. Danny…?"

The voice causes me to tense as I stand up straight. My shoulders square with my feet and my jaw clenches as I see Tadashi enter the gym. My hands twitch at my sides slightly, unsure as to how he even found out I'm here.

"Wasabi called me when he woke up to find you gone without even leaving a note," Tadashi continues, his voice is a bit soft, "...GoGo was the one who told me you might be here and thanks to her card, I was able to get in but I didn't expect…. God, Danny…What happened..."

His voice trails off as his eyes get a bit wide and misty. His attention is directly on my torso, taking in every scrape, every scar, every single little detail with a sharp breath. I know it's not a pretty sight. It's probably pretty grotesque from the scarring tissue running the skin around the deeper, more pronounced scars. His hands clench at his sides and I see the lump forming in his throat as he tries to hold back emotions.

"...Still think ghosts don't exist, Dashi," I end up muttering a bit sourly, my face scrunching up into a scowl, "...I told you they were dangerous."


	23. Chapter Twenty-Two

**Updating late today rather than early tomorrow due to work. Enjoy!**

 **~CWA**

 **(p.s. waffles cure everything)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO**

* * *

 _ **A week later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

The next few days at the lab are a lot easier on everyone, I like to think. It's easily a weight lifted off my shoulders with Tadashi and I being back on good terms. If anything, I like to think we got a bit closer after our small fight. Though I still remember when we came back to the lab the day after we made up, our arms lazily thrown around each other as we laughed at something. I think we gave everyone a heart attack and I know that I saw a few stray bills passing hands signaling that the betting ring Fred had wasn't a small one.

I laugh a bit at the memory, causing A.D. to give me a curious glance from his place behind the counter. It's a good thing that he's made it clear he prefers either them/they or he/him pronouns because it's hard to use they/them all the time and I'd hate to slip up and offend him. I wave my hand at him, giving him a signal that I'm fine causing him to roll his eyes with an amused grin on his face. With that taken care of, I turn my attention to those in front of me.

I did promise Fred that I'd teach him more about ghosts and ghost hunting. But why just limit it to him? Tadashi made it clear that he's not going to let Hiro learn alone so the two of them are here inside of Neutral Gym with us. So here I am teaching a dork, a comic-book enthusiastic nerd, and a genius how to hunt ghosts at a gym. What an ideal situation. I did invite GoGo- if anything so she can help me teach them a lesson- but she made it clear that she's not interested in learning how to fight ghosts because it's hard enough fighting people. Still, I see her watching us from the other side of the gym as she works out.

Just as I've instructed them, they're all wearing comfortable working clothes that won't get them too hot or restrict movement. But they whisper to themselves a bit- I catch most of the conversation with my heightened hearing, but the whispering causes A.D. to shrink into the book he's reading as if he's scared that they're all talking about him. For a moment, I think about cutting the lesson short and heading over there just to make sure he's okay. But a quick nod from GoGo lets me know that she's got it covered.

There's only a few other people at the gym- GoGo and A.D. included- since it's not even seven o'clock yet. Most aren't paying attention to what I'm doing- though a few of the more muscled guys look over every once in a while in mild curiosity before returning to their business.

"Alright, listen up," I whistle to get their attention away from whatever whispered conversation that they're having, "Today, I'm gonna teach you how to fight. Tadashi step forward and take a stance."

Tadashi eyes me hesitantly before stepping forward, unsure what to do. He puts his hands up into fists, but already I'm clicking my tongue at him,

"Keep your thumb out of your fist- you'll break it if you try to punch someone."

"-I still don't get how we can punch a ghost," Fred piques up from the sidelines, "I mean, they are ghosts."

I click my tongue a bit more,

"Not really. I mean, yeah they can go through things, turn invisible and sorts of other stuff- but they are solid a good portion of the time. So if you manage to sneak up them, it's likely you'll get a hit in. Plus, I have Fenton anti-ghost cuffs you can wear which are basically gloves with hard knuckles made for hand to hand combat with a ghost. But you can't use those if you don't know how to hit first. Plus you have to be in good physical condition to even manage against any sort of fight- ghost or otherwise."

"Damn right," A.D. calls out from behind the counter, "But you seem pretty muscular, so I doubt you have to work out that much, Danny."

He grins a bit goofy, but it falls once GoGo hits him upside the head for the comment. Though I can see the uneasy expressions being exchanged between Hiro and Fred from the comment as they worriedly look to Tadashi and I for our reaction.

"Stop flirting with him, dipshit," GoGo comments.

"Just a causal comment, not a flirt," A.D. corrects, "I could do a lot worse than just say that, believe me."

He winks at me enough to make me blush slightly as he laughs. From the corner of my eyes, I see Tadashi tense slightly as his hands form tight, strangling fists at his sides. I eye him hesitantly, unsure as to what caused his sudden surge of anger.

"No doubt," Tadashi replies coldly, "But you seem to _not_ be in good shape yourself. Especially for a gym owner- or is that just a lie you tell people?"

His cold, harsh comment causes me to look at him with surprise. Even Fred and Hiro seem uneasy and uncomfortable with Tadashi's hostility. GoGo raises an eyebrow and I see her take a step forward, ready to defend A.D., but he just waves her off as a signal that he'll take care of it himself. With an ease that shouldn't be normal in heels, he flips over the table and heads straight toward Tadashi and I with a grace that only comes from training.

To be honest, since he's always behind the counter, I never noticed the faint muscular tone in his arms and shoulders. He's still very lean, even small compared to Tadashi and even smaller compared to the other men in the gym. Even with his heels on, he's an inch or two shorter than Tadashi, but that doesn't stop him from getting right into Tadashi's face with no fear.

"I don't lie," A.D. spits out with a venom I didn't think he was capable of, "I may cheat. I may be a _little bit_ of a whore and may or may not have hooked up with Danny at one point-"

That comment makes Tadashi turn redder than a tomato as I nervously pull at the collar of my shirt. He looks back and forth between A.D. and I with a fire burning in his eyes. He looks like he's about to scream. I can hear Hiro mutter a small _oh snap_ under his breath behind his hand. Even Fred is trying to cover up his own laughter behind his hand. A.D. pays no mind to Tadashi's hatred-filled glares as he continues.

"-Hell, I may even have a _small_ smoking or drinking problem, but _I do not lie._ And I thought you were cool, Tadashi, when you first came in to get Danny. Cool enough that I haven't made any passes at Danny because I respected you- flirting is my nature, so even if I _did_ respect you, those comments won't stop. But right now, you've managed to do the one thing that no one else has. _You've pissed me off."  
_

He glares slightly at Tadashi before his attention goes to me. He doesn't even falter as he turns in those disastrous heels. There's a hard, determination in his eyes. I can see GoGo giving him this _not again_ look before she shakes her head slightly. I can't help but gulp under his intense gaze though. A.D. just gestures for me to get into a stance,

"Come on, I don't have all day. I may not look like much, but I can hold my own and I'm going to prove it to that fucker over there."

"So you want to spar with me," I ask skeptically, but A.D. just nods.

"You look like the only one who could keep up with me, to be honest. So get ready- GoGo, you're the referee."

GoGo gives a simple, _yeah sure whatever_ as she gets a bit closer to us to monitor the spar. With a simple wave of her hand, A.D. and I both get into a stance. I know I'll have to tone it down for this spar, but there's a fierce gleam in A.D.'s eyes that let me know that there's no way he's going to be going easy on me. He's dead serious about sparring with me to prove that he is a fit as a fiddle and can own a gym.

The few men in the gym are looking at us curiously, but the second they see A.D.'s serious expression they back off with a _oh shit_ expression so apparently they aren't as oblivious to A.D.'s skills as the rest of us. Judging from GoGo's earlier expression of _not again,_ I can only suspect that this isn't the first time A.D.'s done this. His stance is professional enough to make me believe that he can hold his own in a fight so with a small nod, I correct my stance and get ready for our spar.

"And go," GoGo mutters lazily, waving her hand in a _go ahead_ sign.

Adrian goes for me instantly. His eyes are calculating and sharp, his movements quick and precise. But I manage to dodge him without the use of any of my powers and before I know it, we're in a dance around the gym trying to hit each other. I manage to dodge most of his hits and even catch his foot or fist a few times- he manages to flip out of the holds easily enough. But I have to admit, even though I'm holding back a considerate amount, he's doing enough to impress me. Not to mention that he's doing it all in heels.

With a small _hmm_ , I decide to stop the spar quickly. With one quick movement, I catch him in a headlock, causing him to hiss.

"...Mercy," A.D. finally speaks up begrudgingly, "….I surrender."

Pleased, I let him go and we congratulate each other with a firm handshake with smiles on our faces. From the look in his eyes, I apparently impressed him just as much as he impressed me. Though I can't say the same for the others. Fred looks confused. Hiro is gaping at us. Tadashi…. Is even redder than before as he crosses his arms with a huff. He won't even look at me, causing my gut to twist with guilt. To my surprise, GoGo is openly grinning.

"That was a good spar," I say simply to A.D., "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I could ask you the same thing," A.D. nudges me lightly, "It's the first time in years someone's beaten me. I knew you could hold your own, but I didn't expect that. While you were holding back no less… And I'm a national champ, for your information," he shakes his head, "So it's not exactly easy to best me when I have several first place medals, titles, and trophies from competitions."

A national champion? I suppose that makes sense. It takes practice and determination to do some of the stuff that he did- and pull it off so gracefully and naturally. His lean, slightly feminine, form makes it easy to dodge opponents therefore giving him an advantage. Not to mention a lot of people must underestimate him making it that much easier for him to pull the wool over their eyes. But I am slightly surprised that he holds a championship title.

"Way to be modest," GoGo snorts, causing A.D. to make a face at her.

With GoGo taking care of A.D., I turn my attention to Tadashi with a small smile. He's still refusing to look at me and I don't really blame him. To learn that A.D. and I did sleep together must not be easy to take in.

"I think that's enough excitement for today," I offer lightly, "That spar's making me pretty hungry… What do you think, 'Dashi? Waffles sound good? Or should we hit up that newer Italian place downtown?"

A.D. lights up at the mention of food, but GoGo smacks him upside the head to keep him quiet since my question is directed to Tadashi. Hiro smiles a bit and Fred's obviously thrilled with the idea of going to go eat. It takes a second, but Tadashi finally does look at me. His eyes are sad, but he manages to give me a small, hopeful smile.

"...Waffles sound pretty good right about now."


	24. Chapter Twenty-Three

**Alright, I usually won't update so close together but I am _super_ ahead of my writing schedule. So I am updating today, Wednesday and then Saturday before returning to a weekly Saturday schedule (unless I get way ahead again which is doubtful but possible). **

**This has to be one of my favorite chapters so far so I hope you guys enjoy! Please review!**

 **~CWA**

 **(Also so sorry for uploading the wrong chapter the first time, thank you for letting me know!)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE**

* * *

 _ **Tadashi Hamada**_

Waffles aren't exactly a 'cure' to anger or any other extreme emotion or bad situation, but I have to admit that they do help. I'm not nearly as upset as I was before, but the anger is still there. In my defense, I have every right to be angry. I care about Danny. Enough that if he asks me out, I'd say yes. If he wants to go steady, I think I'd be interested in that too. But it's hard to think that I'll have a future with him- a steady, stable future, if he does this. Keeps secrets. Doesn't trust me. Sleeps with people if we have a fight. That's not how a relationship works.

 _Get your head together, Hamada,_ I shove a large bite of waffle into my mouth, wanting to just eat away the stress, _you're not in a relationship with him. You haven't even made your feelings for him clear. He can do whatever he wants because we're not together._ But man, oh man, do I want us to be together. But every time I even come close to _maybe_ asking him out, I lose my nerve. Then he goes and does something, this time it was sleeping with A.D., and I begin to just doubt if he even has mutual feelings for me.

I continue shoving waffles into my mouth and I briefly wonder if the whole habit of stress eating comes from Aunt Cass. Hiro and Fred have already left in favor of going to see some new monster movie that came out. GoGo and A.D. (who had invited himself to our little waffle trip) left to go back to the gym and spar themselves- somehow, I'm not surprised to learn that GoGo is very serious about her workout routine. She can throw some serious punches so I suppose it makes sense that she has to learn it from someone- who I suspect is A.D. since they're just about the same size thus making it easier for him to teach her the stuff he does and the way he does it.

But this also means that I'm sitting here alone with Danny in the just-now-filling up waffle diner. Strangely enough, I don't see Danny eat anything. He never ordered any food- just a coffee and nothing else. I know he eats sometimes- I've seen him eat in the lab and he's ate a few things with Aunt Cass and us. But to be honest, it seems like he doesn't eat that often. He sips at his coffee absently as he raises an eyebrow at me, causing me to flush and continue eating.

"Slow down, 'Dashi," Danny laughs a bit, "You're going to choke at that rate."

"-Well according from A.D. you've probably choked on a few things that sure weren't waffles," I mutter under my breath a bit venomously.

Damn it. So much for trying to let that go. Danny huffs at my words, running his hands through his hair with a few muttered curses.

"Okay, fine, I deserved that. I slept with A.D., that was a dick move on my part to do it from spite. A.D. was pretty cool about it, considering, but that doesn't make an excuse. I'm sorry that my sex life is so _troublesome_ for you, but it's not like we're together or something."

Yeah. We're not. At least not yet. I continue to eat my waffles in silence, a somberness consumes us as tension fills the air. Because damn it, I really want us to be _something_. Though a glance toward Danny tells me he's not exactly happy with what he's saying either. He crosses his arms across his chest with a dark expression on his face.

"….Or something," I can't help but mutter slightly, quiet enough that I'm almost sure he doesn't hear me.

God this tension is going to kill me, I swear. I want to just speak up and tell him what I'm feeling. How much I like him. How much I really want to kiss him. But I keep my mouth full of waffles to keep from saying or doing anything that may ruin what somewhat stable friendship we have.

Thankfully, the silence is at least broken by Danny's phone going off. He curses as he checks the caller ID, gives me an apologetic and slightly worried look, before he finally answers it.

"Hey Jazzy," Danny greets, "How's it going? Is everything okay?…. Uh-huh…. Uh-huh… Maybe, I think that sounds nice, but I wouldn't really want- no, of course I want to see you guys, I just think that- No, I didn't say that, Jazz, I just – okay fine. Look, I promise I'll catch up to date later _and_ I'll do a video chat…. Yeah, of course, love you too."

He hangs up with a long, drawn out sigh before he gives me a tired smile. Huh. Never really noticed just how tired he looks sometimes- bags under the eyes, a veteran look in his eyes as if he's seen too much. He runs his fingers through his hair,

"Sorry, that was my sister, Jazz. Drives me nuts sometimes, but that's what older sisters do, isn't it?"

He gives me a nervous chuckle as he shoves his phone back into his pocket. I swallow my bite of waffle to give him a wry grin,

"I wouldn't know- I'm the oldest one, remember? But you haven't really said much about your sister… or your parents, for that matter. Aside from the ghost thing, obviously."

Danny snorts slightly,

"Yeah that's because my parents were _really_ obsessed with ghosts and to be perfectly honest, I didn't believe them at first either."

"You're kidding?"

I can't help but gape at him. This guy has been nothing but _ghosts_ the whole time he's even been at the college. Every other sentence out of his mouth is about ghosts. He's even building a ghost portal and he's saying he used to not believe in ghosts. My expression causes him to wave his hands a bit defensively,

"I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but trust me, my sister and I grew up wanting nothing to do with ghosts. Just like every else in town, we thought our parents were kooks. I actually used to want to be an astronaut- some part of me still does, actually, and I can still point out every damn constellation in the sky as well as tell you what the latest news in NASA is. My sister took a more psychological route, but either way, we didn't believe in ghosts until I was about Hiro's age..."

He trails off slightly with a reminiscing look in his eyes.

"….When they were in college, they tried to build a portal. It was small, but it managed to hospitalize an… _old friend…_ of theirs for a while. And when I was fourteen, they built another one. A larger one, like the one I'm building, and… it didn't work, at first… I… I _tweaked_ it and the next thing I know, it's up and running. A fully functional portal to the Ghost Zone- a place my parents had been theorizing about for _years_ and now they had proof. Except they didn't really want to share too much with the outside world and kept it rather secret because of how dangerous it was. The world may not have known what they did, what they were capable of, but the town knew. My sister knew. They knew. I knew…"

He doesn't look me in the eyes. Instead, he's rather focused on his coffee as he talks. I stay silent, processing it all as he speaks. It's easy to tell this is something he's been needing to get off his chest for a while. But it's hard for me to believe that they built a portal like that themselves and didn't really want it to be known. The fact that it was functional at all is hard enough to swallow.

He looks like he wants to say more about the portal, but holds himself back.

"...The portal worked a bit too well," Danny continues softly, "Ghosts came through. Attacked the town a lot. My parents were great inventors, but when it came to the field work, they weren't as good- Mom was decent though, she was a black belt and not afraid to bring someone down, but Dad had such horrible aim and they both had horrible driving skills it was hard to be progressive.

So I did it myself. Protected the town. Made a few friends with some of the friendlier ghosts that accidentally stumbled through the portal, talked to ghosts that just needed to move on, fought the ghosts that wanted to hurt people. Contrary to what my parents believed, ghosts were just as capable of feelings things like we are- they had emotions, pain, love, sadness, everything. But just like people, some were evil and it wasn't easy either. My grades dropped. I didn't get enough sleep. I broke bones- ribs, arms, legs, the whole thing. Had internal bleeding. Stitched myself up more than once and I have the scars to prove it."

My heart twists uneasily. He says it so easily. As if it's easy to go through all that. But I've done a lot of research on all sorts of injuries- those things don't go away easily and they hurt like hell. Knowing he went through that causes pain in my chest, a pain I can't really describe. At the mentions of scars, I eye him closely. I never really noticed it before, but I can see a few of them. Poking from the collar of his shirt and shirt along his collar bone faintly. A small nick on his eyebrow. A dent on his neck that vaguely resembles scars from a bite. I can only imagine what sort of scars are being covered by his jacket and shirt and what horrors he went through to get them.

"My parents had no clue what I was doing because I protected the town as a sort of… ghost hunter superhero. _Disguise_ and all, if you can believe it- so I often got lectures about missing curfews and slacking off."

I'd like to say that it's hard to believe he was some sort of ghost hunter superhero. But to be honest, it's not. Danny may be strange. May crack some jokes and puns. But I can see him being a superhero- as strange as that is to say, I know there are some real superheroes out there. Like that guy- what's his name… Captain America. Maybe Danny's like him. A normal guy fighting the big, bad guys. Someone for people to look up to, admire, and learn from. Danny certainly has that sort of protective aura around him- something about him just screams that he's not going to let anything hurt anyone.

"-You shouldn't tell Fred that," I say dryly, "If he finds out you're a superhero, he's never going to leave you alone."

Danny opens his mouth to say something before deciding against it. He furrows his brows, flushes, before he finally continues on with his little story.

"- the ghosts got worse, though," his voice gets softer, "….You could even say it was a… _war…_ between humans and ghosts. Some of my ghost friends helped us. Protected us. But it didn't work…."

He trials off again with a sorrowful look on his face. Taking out his phone again, he searches through it briefly before sliding it to me. I can see it's an online news article about a town called _Amity Park._ It mentions how a freak gas leak had destroyed an entire town in Illinois with only three survivors whose names aren't listed. My heart aches as the article lists every single name of every person that died. A ' _promising high-school football star'_ Dash Baxter. Two _'energetic, friendly cheerleaders'_ Paulina Sanchez and some girl named Star. Samantha Manson. Tucker Foley. Valerie Gray….. Jack Fenton… Madeline Fenton…

My eyes gloss over as my stomach turns, the realization hits me at just who two of those three survivors are. Looking up at him, I can see how lost he's becoming in his memories as they overtake him.

"It wasn't a gas leak," Danny mutters, his eyes getting watery, "… The ghosts did it, but how can a news station really report that? I tried my best to fight them and it wasn't enough. They killed… They killed everyone, 'Dashi. Every. Single. Person. My family. My friends. My boyfriend, Dash. My ex-girlfriend and best friend, Sam. My other best friend, Tucker. My history teacher, Mr. Lancer. My parents. Everyone. And… that's why I want to make the portal. So that their work is acknowledged and because of my own interests in ghosts, of course. But it's also why I want to protect you and Hiro and everyone- giving ghost hunting lessons could save you, even if you don't realize it yet."

Danny's voice gets hoarse and cracks slightly as he speaks. The emotions just pour from his voice in such a raw passion that it's hard to keep crying myself. It's still hard to believe that ghosts did all of that, but if he believes it, then… I trust him enough to believe him. Even if it's hard to accept. My hand goes to his and I grasp it tightly in a comforting manner, causing him to give me a small, thankful smile as he squeezes back.

"-But I suppose it all worked for the better," Danny continues, "Jazz is a famous psychologist back in New York, making more than enough money, and I'm here doing something I'm passionate about, which is working on ghost inventions."

He sighs a bit tiredly, but never lets go of my hand. I feel horrible for asking about his parents since it's obvious that it's still really effecting him. Unlike me, his parents died recently. Hell, the newspaper article was only dated a few years ago. But he did open up. He opened up, told me about himself, about his parents. It's only fair if I return the favor.

"...My parents died a while back ago," I admit, "they were good people. Honest people. And they worked hard. Despite being very busy as doctors, they always made time for Hiro and I. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to do what they did. I wanted to help people, but I wanted to help people in a way that didn't make it impossible to be with my family. My parents did a good job at juggling their job and home life, but we still didn't see them that often. But every time they got time off, we used to take these crazy road trips to different parts of the country. I saw things like the Grand Canyon. Yellowstone park. Hiro doesn't remember it, but I still have the pictures to prove it if he ever doubts my stories…."

I can feel him squeeze my hand a bit and it's almost like there's a calming presence in the air as I speak. For a moment, it's like I can hear my mom's voice whispering in the wind, singing a soft lullaby. I close my eyes briefly to treasure that faint memory before I finally manage to open them again to look at Danny. But even with my eyes open, I can still feel her. Feel _them._ Standing with me. Comforting me.

I like to think that wherever they are now that they're looking down at me with pride…. I also like to think that they would have liked Danny.

"-But when I was about eleven and Hiro was three, there was an accident. Aunt Cass had taken us to her home here in San Fransokyo for a visit while our parents were doing a week long conference in New York. They called us every night to make sure we were okay. But when then it came for the day for their return. Aunt Cass took us back to our normal house and we got ready to have a big welcome home party. She even let Hiro and I decorate a cake for them. They called us that they were almost home so we waited… and waited… But they never came."

I take a few shaky breaths. It's been so long since I've even talked about my parents like this, but the memory is still fresh in my mind.

"….Eventually Aunt Cas got a phone call. Apparently on their way home, they got into a car accident. Paramedics got there, couldn't really help so they rushed them to the hospital. By then, it was too late…."

I trail off slightly, my voice softening. That's partly why I want to create Baymax. To keep future families together. To help people.

"...Hiro doesn't even remember them. Not what they look like. Not their voices. Not even the lullaby that Mom used to sing to him… He was only a kid, Danny. He was three years old. Aunt Cass was great, and she did the best she could, but I ended up raising Hiro myself. It didn't take long for him to forget them. Aunt Cass thinks it's because he repressed a lot of those memories at first… But one time, it was only once, back when I was about fifteen, he called me Dad. Hiro… Hiro actually called me Dad. I had to explain things to him and he apologized and he never slipped up again but I just… God, that was..."

I can't help the emotions that pour over me as I tear up. Danny seems to understand and lets go of my hand to move to the other side of the booth and sit next to me. Wordlessly, he brings me into a tight embrace, pulling me close. He rubs my back soothingly and doesn't seem to care about the few other patrons in the diner that look our way.

He whispers comforting words into my ears and despite me being taller than him, it seems like I fit into his arms a bit too well.


	25. Chapter Twenty-Four

**Finally some bonding between Danny and Honey Lemon~**

 **Next update will be Saturday before updating goes back to once a week on Saturday. Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I feel better after talking to Tadashi, telling him about a lot of stuff I never thought I would tell anyone here when I first joined the college. He doesn't know everything, but he knows a lot. Enough to make me feel even closer to him. It helps that he opened up to me as well. I never felt such raw emotion like that from another person to the level that it was so personal, so intimate. That intimate feeling still lingers, even now _days_ after our little discussion.

I shake my head slightly and turn back to my notebook full of experiments and their notes. This is something I doubt I ever will tell him though. I don't think he'd understand and I doubt that he'd take it easily either. But I'm a scientist. This what I do. Who I am. _What_ I am.

Wasabi is out with Jade- again. They seem to be out every night nowadays so I suppose that means they're happy together, but it's not really my business and Wasabi isn't one to just openly talk about his relationship at that level. So I assume that I have plenty of time to try to get this done.

A pencil hangs from my mouth as I look to my thigh- the center of this experiment. My notebook is opened widely to reveal the various notes from this experiment. It's rather similar to the previous one I conducted on my arm, but different at the same time. Leg muscles are supposed to be some of the strongest muscles, so does that effect the way the ectoplasm is flowing? Does it slow it or strength it? When I'm running or using these muscles, am I pumping more or less ectoplasm? I like to call it _Skeletal System Test II._

Just like my previous experiment, I have an apron, safety goggles, gloves and other proper equipment from the first aid kit. Plastic coverings cover the floor and the desk so that blood doesn't stain anything. If it ever does somehow get on my clothes, I have no problem in destroying the clothes with a small ectoblast or turning it all intangible.

Very carefully, I peel back the skin from the incision and observe what I find. Most of it is similar to what my arm looked like. But there are a few differences. Aside from the muscle mass, I mean. I've already taken my blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature which reveals that it's progressed a bit (my temperature reaching slightly lower and my heart rate even slowing more) and I wonder what it hasn't progressed more than it has. My notebook is quickly filling up with my observations, thoughts and findings. Including on the idea that it's possible the reason the ectoplasm is so concentrated in my legs is because it needs to transform into my ghostly tail.

I make a mental note to actually experiment on the ghostly tail itself later. However, I don't get the chance to continue any farther as my phone goes off suddenly, causing me to jump as the pencil I've been absently chewing on falls from my mouth. Cursing a bit under my breath, I quickly grab my phone. The caller ID reveals that it's Honey Lemon- which briefly causes me to pause since it's not as if we talk that often outside of the lab.

I eye my thigh before I sigh and finally just answer the phone.

"Hello?"

" _Danny? Oh thank goodness, I kinda need your help..."  
_

She trails off slightly, but her words cause me to snap into attention for a brief moment before I realize that she doesn't sound very urgent. I look to my thigh. Still, I can't exactly put off helping someone (especially a friend) because I want to finish a self-experiment. I balance the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I grab the first aid kit to stitch up my thigh. I know that by the time I get to wherever Honey Lemon is, my leg will still be sore, but at least it won't be a giant, bone deep hole.

"Where are you? What's wrong?"

" _No one will answer their phone and I'm left without a shopping buddy. So what do you say? Care to join me at the mall?"  
_

Her voice lingers and pleads slightly, enough that I can tell she just doesn't want to be alone and is desperate for company. She says it in a way that I can't refuse in good conscious, though I suspect maybe the reason the others didn't answer is because they knew why she was calling. It's no secret that Honey Lemon loves shopping and isn't scared to visit every shop there is- that's obvious enough from all the fashionable clothes she wears. Sometimes it reminds me of Star. I sigh slightly as I finish up stitching the experiment,

"….Fine. Be there in five."

" _Thanks Danny, you're the best!"_

She hangs up abruptly, causing me to roll my eyes. I guess there's no backing out of it now.

* * *

Finding Honey Lemon in a large, two-story mall is easier said than done. I don't even know how it can be so crowded on a Tuesday. Don't most people have work or something this time of day/week? Either way, it's practically crowded to the brim. Enough so that I have to politely squeeze past a few people in the narrow walkways between stores in my search for Honey Lemon. She's not answering her phone which means it's impossible to get a hold of her, otherwise I would be calling her up, demanding for her to meet me somewhere. Knowing Honey Lemon, she can either be in one of the many stores and lost track of time… Or she's in the food court waiting for me. It's a fifty-fifty shot, but it'll save me a lot of time if I can run into her in the food court so that's where I head first.

Thankfully, the food court is large enough that the crowd is thinned out, allowing a lot more room to see and move with ease. My eyes scan the crown for any sign of her before I finally catch sight of her, sitting alone at one the food court tables with two bags of take out as she sways back and forth to whatever music she's listening to through her ear-buds. I sigh in relief that I've found her and don't have to spend the next few hours searching store to store for her…. Though now that I think about it, if she wasn't there then I could have just gone to the information desk and see if they do one of those _lost child_ announcements. But instead of it being a child it's a six foot college student.

I walk to her with ease before I gently tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. Her eyes snap to me before a large grin stretches across her face. She plucks out her ear buds with a small excited squeel and doesn't hesitate to jump up to give me a large hug in greeting.

"Danny! I'm so happy you made it! Sit, sit, I got food for the both of us. I hope chicken is okay."

"Actually I'm not too hungry," the lie slips out of my mouth easily as we take our seats at the table, "I ate not too long ago, but I appreciate it."

In truth, I am _starving._ But I can't exactly eat normal food, especially after an experiment. Eating normal food will only drain energy- energy that's needed to repair my leg. My leg is still throbbing lightly- which is strange because it's never really hurt before, I think I may have done a stitch or two incorrectly in my rush to get here. My hand absently goes to my thigh, rubbing it slightly with a wince.

"...You okay, Danny," Honey Lemon asks in concern as her eyes go to my thigh.

"Rough day at the gym," I reply easily enough, "You wouldn't believe how tough A.D. can be when he wants to be."

Honey Lemon hums a bit at my answer, carefully unwrapping her chicken sandwich as she speaks.

"A.D.? He's the one Tadashi told me about, isn't he? The one a _certain someone_ slept with?"

She gives me a small, pointed look that causes me to groan.

"I slept with him," I admit, running my fingers through my hair, " _But_ Tadashi and I made up. Opened up to each other even. We're all good."

She hums a bit more,

"...Hmm. You understand my concern though, right Danny? 'Dashi is like a brother to me and I'd hate to see him get heartbroken."

If she had a fork, I have no doubts that she'd be waving it in my face. But instead she just continues to give me a pointed look to make her message clear. No sleeping around with people if I want to be serious with Tadashi. She has a pretty nasty _dont mess with_ me face that I didn't even know that she was even _capable_ of. I gulp thickly and shift in my seat at the look before I regain my control.

"Then it's a good thing I won't break his heart."

My words cause her to nod in approval, a small smile lighting up her face. To be honest, I never knew that she could be that intimidating so I'm a bit relived that she's back to her normal, cheery self.

"So," I speak up as she begins eating her sandwich with a speed that almost takes me off guard, "What are our plans for the day?"

She swallows the last bite of her sandwich before gracefully tossing the trash. She looks to me with shining eyes and a large grin.

"Glad you asked! First, I was thinking about hitting some of the higher-end fashion stores in hopes of finding these cute shoes that I saw online- we can also get you a new wardrobe too~"

Ah. Once again, I am the dress up toy. Thankfully, I'm not that picky about my clothes and don't really mind people dressing me up- whether it's in a dress, a skirt, heels, a leather jacket or eyeliner. I got used to that _way_ back in the day when Sam first began her Goth stage. She tried so hard to get me to join her- which eventually worked later.

"Sure," I shrug my shoulders, "Sounds like fun."

I have to cover my ears to block out her loud scream of excitement.

* * *

I sit near the dressing room with a slightly bored expression on my face. Five hours of shopping isn't exactly helping my thigh; by now, I know for _sure_ that I had to have done something wrong because my healing factor should have _completely_ healed it and got rid of the pain by now. There's a large pile of clothes in my arms and even more bags of clothes hanging on my arms. Somehow, I've become Honey Lemon's pack mule. Almost to the point where I have to use my ghostly strength just to hold all of this shit.

Though, I have to admit, some of it is kinda fun. Honey Lemon's cheery demeanor is contagious, what can I say? Of course, it helps that a majority of the outfits we've _both_ tried on have been silly ones for laughs- wearing clothes that obviously don't match, clothes being too large or too small. She got a particular kick out of me when I came out wearing a sweater from the women's section that I could have absolutely _rocked_ if it wasn't several sizes too small and paired with a silly scarf and hat; thankfully, my silliness averted her attention away from any scars she may have noticed.

I shake my head slightly with amusement as I hear Honey Lemon emerge from the dressing room. She comes out sporting a large, slightly crooked grin. A vivid, almost neon, blue high waist skirt is _almost_ too short for her and a cropped, sleeveless floral top shapes what curves she has. She gives me an enthusiastic twirl, showing off the skirt as it flows with her movement.

"Sooo what do you think? Not too bright?"

I eye her up and down with a critical eye. She was surprised to learn that I actually have an eye for fashion- even if I don't exactly show it that often. I convinced her it was because of my older sister because there's no way I'm telling her that the real reason I know so much about fashion is because back when I dated Dash, I spent _way_ too much time with two fashion-forward cheerleaders (Paulina and Star).

"Match it with a white pair of heeled sandals and a cute, light weight sweater or jacket and you're good to go."

She cheers happily before she turns her attention to me with a determined look in her eyes and a sly smile on her face.

"And now it's your turn," she declares before grabbing all the stuff I have in my arms and shoving a new set of clothes into my hands, "Try these on and if they fit, we have to get them for you."

I give a slightly meek _okay_ and head straight into the dressing room. Once there, I look at what she had handed me. I stand corrected. It isn't just one set of clothes- it's several. I figure that whichever one looks best is the one I'm getting, though if I end up liking more than one, I have no problem buying it all. It's been a long time since I've bought anything for myself anyway and I am in need for new clothes so I suppose this works out rather well.

I look through the clothes with a careful eye and send some into the instant _not gonna happen_ pile. A masculine crop top. A fishnet over top. Another fishnet top. A shirt with a v-neck so low it's as if it's not even a shirt at all. Anything that could possibly show too many scars or too much skin. In the end, I'm left with a nice suit that's bound to fit me, a few casual shirts, and one really nice outfit that I decide is the one that I'm going to show Honey Lemon.

A nice maroon shirt. A black vest over top. Black trousers with a nice belt. A black scarf that hangs lowly on my neck. For a second, I debate about grabbing my leather jacket to put over it before deciding against it, the scars on my arms, while pretty bad, aren't going to stop me from rocking this outfit. I look at myself in the mirror provided in the dressing room with a critical eye and ditch the scarf before deciding that what I have on looks pretty damn good on me.

"Check it," I say smoothly as I exit the dressing room with a swagger in my step.

I strut confidently with my thumbs in the belt loops of the pants and throw a casual, playful wink at Honey Lemon, whose grinning ear to ear as she looks me over. Her eyes briefly glance at the scars on my arms, but she quickly averts her attention elsewhere and doesn't ask. The grin never leaves her face as she admires me,

"Look at you, Danny! You look sharp! Ohh Tadashi's gonna love this," she squeals, "There's just one thing missing..."

She trails off slightly before dashing off to get something, leaving me there gaping like a fish in confusion with all the bags and clothes she left behind. _Tadashi's gonna love this-_ that's what she said…. Did she talk me into this trip just so I can get a new outfit to impress Tadashi with? My face heats up at just the thought, but before I can dwell on it anymore, Honey Lemon returns with a snazzy black jacket for me to wear. It's more casual than a suit jacket, but still looks pretty nice and only has sleeves that reach my elbow.

I put it on with ease and admire the way it fits for a moment before looking at Honey Lemon, moving my hands up into the air as I turn slowly for her to get a good look at it. She looks like she's gonna burst from sheer excitement as I catch a small, slightly whispered word from her.

" _Perfect."_


	26. Chapter Twenty-Five

**Just as promised, another chapter! Next update won't be until next Saturday! Hope you enjoy, please review~**

 **~CWA**

 **Edit: Forgot to mention, _I do not own nor claim anything Marvel- thus including Captain America/Winter Soldier aka Bucky._**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

When I get back from my shopping trip with Honey Lemon, it's already pretty late. My thigh is still throbbing with a light pain so I take a few pain killers in the hope that it'll help as I plop down on my bed. Several shopping bags lay on the floor beside me- I ended up buying the outfit that I had shown Honey Lemon along with a nice snazzy suit. I know I'll have to put up those clothes eventually- the suit will have to go in the closet for sure so that it doesn't wrinkle. I'm sure Wasabi won't mind me storing just that one suit in there.

Speaking of Wasabi, he should be back soon from his date with Jade and I promised Jazz that I would video call her. I don't want her freaking out like last time. With a groan, I get up from the bed, my leg protesting the movement as the muscle turns stiff, and head to my desk to get my laptop.

The video call gets answered almost the second that I call her causing me to give my sister a dry look as her face appears on the screen.

"Gee, you're not excited to see me, are you?"

" _As if,"_ Jazz scoffs, but the look in her eyes tells me otherwise, " _I just happened to be at my computer at the time… But I do have some news to tell you. I'm going to go for a conference in Washington_ _in a few weeks_ _, but it's not exactly kid-friendly. So Ellie is going to be staying with my boyfriend-"_

"-Woah, wait just a diddly damn second," I cut her off, "Since when do _you_ have a _boyfriend?_ Why haven't I heard about this? How long have you been dating? How much do you trust me to leave my daughter, your niece _,_ with him? Is he safe? Live in a safe neighborhood? What about Cujo-"

"- _Danny, chill,_ " Jazz interrupts with an annoyed look, _"I've been dating Mr. Barnes_ _since a little bit after you left actually_ _-"_

I stop for a second and give her the most befuddled look I can muster, closing and opening my mouth in confusion.

"….You call your boyfriend Mr. Barnes?"

She flushes slightly,

" _...He used to be my patient- don't worry, he's perfectly stable. He's just a veteran with some bad memories. His name's actually James Barnes, but according to him, his friends call him Bucky. But she'll be safe with him- you know I wouldn't trust him with her if it wasn't safe…. Cujo can stay invisible so I'm not worried about that...He's a really good guy, Danny, and who knows? Maybe one day you'll actually meet him? But enough about my love life, tell me about yours."_

I flush slightly, thinking about the other day and the conversation it led to with Tadashi. The intimacy. The heart to heart. The passion. I scratch the back of my neck a bit uncomfortably.

"It's… It's rough. I haven't officially asked him out and he hasn't really asked me out either, but I know I like him, I'm sure he likes him. I think we're dating in some way or form, but we haven't talked about it. But… I don't know Jazz, I opened up to him. A lot. He doesn't know about me being half ghost, but he does know about Amity and the ghosts and me fighting them- pretty much told him I was secretly a superhero… But not telling him it, doesn't change the facts."

I run my fingers through my hair nervously,

"Jazz, I am _half ghost,_ maybe even _half dead._ With a daughter to boot. And I actually want to be serious with him, but it was hard enough telling him what I did, how am I supposed to tell him that I even more secrets than that? I can't date him and him not know about my half-dead state or about Ellie. I can't just leave to New York and forget about him because there's no way for me to just get over him. His little brother is practically becoming my brother too and I can feel the bond forming and I-"

I stop suddenly as I lose my words and my mind goes blank. I can't even form any sentences as I just stare blankly at my sister, gaping. She's looking at me with a thoughtful expression that could only mean trouble.

" _Telling Tadashi about your status as a half ghost is your problem,"_ she mutters, " _I can't do anything about that… But…."_

She trails off slightly with a devious grin on her face. I hate that look. That's her _I'm totally up to something look._ That look got me trapped into the Fenton thermos for _days_ when she tried to help me hunt ghosts. That look gave us the name _Ghost Getters._ That look is trouble. I pale slightly just at the sight of it.

"Jazz...what are you up to?"

" _Absolutely nothing, little brother, so don't worry… But I do know that someone here wants to meet you."_

I don't really believe her words- not for a second- but I don't have a chance to question her farther as a familiar face pops into screen. Ellie. Just like before, she's cute as a button and all smiles as she looks at me. The sight of her takes any burdens off my chest. Her eyes light up with excitement as she enthusiastically waves at me,

" _Daddy!"  
_

"Hey Princess," I wave at her with a big grin on my face, "Are you enjoying your time over there with Auntie Jazz?"

" _Mm-hmm, but I miss you, Daddy,"_ she pouts.

"I miss you too, sweetheart," I coo at her, "But we'll see each other again soon, I promise."

" _When,"_ Ellie stresses, _"I don't wanna wait!"_

"Soon," I answer vaguely, nodding my head up and down, "I swear it. And you know that King Daddies never break a swear."

She lights up at my words, clapping her hands, quite pleased with my swear.

" _King Daddy! King Daddy,"_ she giggles, _"And I'm the princess!"_

"That you are, sweetie," I smile fondly at her, "You're the princess. But even princesses need some sleep. So why don't you head off to bed and Auntie Jazz will be in there in a second to read you a bedtime story."

She pouts and whines a bit at my words, pleading to stay up past her bedtime so she can talk to me. Jazz seems to have none of it, trying to tell Ellie that there's no possible way of her staying up past her bedtime. But when Ellie turns to me with her big, wide, puppy eyes as she pleads, my heart clenches.

"...Okay, you can stay up a little longer," I finally break.

Jazz looks at me with a slightly _I can't believe you did that_ look as she huffs and rolls her eyes. Ellie, however, is screaming from excitement so loudly that Jazz has to cover her ears. I laugh a bit as I see Ellie float a little bit up into the air, clapping happily.

"… _.She's going to up all night now, you know that right,"_ Jazz says dryly, though I'm barely able to hear her whisper over Ellie's cheers, _"...Thanks for that, Danny."_

The sound of someone heading toward the dorm door makes me stop for a moment. Even Jazz notices my averted focus and calls my name quietly, asking if everything is alright. But my eyes are focused on the door. I quickly say a quick _goodbye, love you_ to both my sister and daughter before logging off, just as Wasabi enters the room.

I quirk an eyebrow at his slightly disorientated state. It's not unlike him to look so unorganized. His hair is a mess and he's stumbling slightly with a dazed expression on his face. Just as he begins to tip over, I quickly rush over to catch him. He's heavy enough to make me grunt a bit at the weight, but not heavy enough that I have to use my ghostly strength.

"Wasabi," I say hesitantly, "You doin' okay there, dude?"

He mumbles something under his breathe that I don't quite catch. I can't smell any alcohol on his breath, so I wonder why he's so… disoriented. I gently and carefully lead him to his bed,

"Come on, big guy, let's get you to bed…. I thought you were out with Jade?"

"...I was," Wasabi mumbles slightly, "...I… It just ended. She said that I wasn't… that it wasn't..."

He trails off lamely, but it's enough that I know what he means. Jade broke up with him, the poor guy. I know how much he really cared for her and for it to end so suddenly must be a shock to his system. No wonder he's so out of sorts. My heart clenches for him as I help him to his bed. His eyes are still wide from shock and I can hear his heart beating loudly. He looks at me for a moment with wonder before he buries his head in his hands, muttering to himself.

Wasabi is a very… organized person. A person with a schedule. A person who has to keep things in order. For someone to like him, and like that part of him as well, isn't easy to find I imagine. Before Jade, I never really even saw Wasabi so much as look at another person or seem interested in anyone. But then Jade came along. He was happy. He changed a bit too, slowly becoming more spontaneous and trying to let go of his obsessive habits. I swallow thickly when I realize that this may cause him to just become more obsessive and neat as a way of coping.

I can't change him. I can't force him to not be obsessive. But I can do something to help… I give him a small smile and pat his shoulder,

"Hey, I'm going to go down to the cafeteria and get some hot chocolate for us. Then you can tell me all about it- if you want to, that is. Just… stay here and try to calm down, okay?"

He nods numbly with hallow breaths and after one last pat on his shoulder, I head out.

* * *

I sip absently at the hot chocolate as I wait for Wasabi to speak. He sits there on his bed, staring into the cup of hot chocolate. He doesn't say a word for the first ten minutes we sit there. The clock ticks by each second as the night moves along. I sit on my own bed, watching him carefully, waiting for him to tell me what's on his mind. He keeps opening and closing his mouth so I know he wants to talk, he just doesn't know what to say.

"...I thought we were doing fine," he finally whispers, "I thought that… I thought that we really may even fall in love eventually, but that's just wishful thinking, isn't it?"

He sighs deeply and I can't help but feel sympathetic to him. Breakups can be pretty rough. I've experienced some rough ones myself. I sigh along with him, stirring my hot chocolate with a disposable spoon I got from the cafeteria. The hot chocolate doesn't taste as good as the ones from Aunt Cass, but I couldn't exactly leave Wasabi alone long enough for me to actually go to the cafe.

"Yeah," I reply back hesitantly, "it is a bit of hopeful thinking, but there's not really anything wrong with that. I mean, that's why we date people, right? To try to find someone we can fall in love with and for some people, that also includes eventually marrying."

Wasabi grumbles a bit bitterly, but I continue.

"...Wanna know something, Wasabi? I've dated lots of people- and I do mean _lots-"  
_

Wasabi snorts at that, causing me to briefly make a face at him.

"-But there were a few that I really saw a future with," I wince a bit at the memory, "… People that I really cared about. Even loved some of them. First there was Sam- her real name was Samantha, but calling her that would lead to a combat boot up your ass. She was loud, blunt, honest, fierce, passionate. She was my best friend for _years_ ever since kindergarten if you can believe it. We had a crush on each other for a really long time before we started dating. We dated for a while when we got older, actually, off and on. I even dated this other girl Valerie for a while, but we broke it off when I realized that it wouldn't work. But with Sam…. In the end, when I was sixteen, she cheated on me. You can imagine how that damaged what friendship we could have had afterward."

I chuckle a bit bitterly and watch as Wasabi's attention is glued onto me. It still stings to think about it, but the pain is slowly numbing down.

"...I thought I loved her. I could see us growing up and having a future together because we had known each other for so long. But it wasn't meant to be. I moved on and dated this guy named Dash. He was the football star at our high school- a total jock and had a habit of calling me _Fenturd…._ He may or may not have used to be a bully to me. Shoved me into lockers, pushed me, beat me up, you name it and he did it. But he did eventually change and by the time that Sam and I broke off, he was actually a good friend of mine. We ended up dating. Just like Sam, I saw a future with him."

My eyes glazed over as I thought about my memories. I could still see it so clearly. Our first kiss under the bleachers. The first date at the movie theaters. The shocked faces on every single A-Listers' face when he announced in the cafeteria that we were dating and if anyone messed with me, they were messing with him too. Paulina even warmed up to me and eventually, we became good friends too. I found out that she had a small crush on Sam for a while- which was funny to think about then and still funny to think about now. Star and I bonded over a love for the stars. Kwan taught me some stuff about football so that I understood the games a bit better. They all agreed to leave the 'nerds' alone and let Valerie back into the group. Kwan and Tucker even became fast friends.

All the fun. All the passion. Everything that I had with Dash comes back to me at once. Even love.

"-I used to wear his jackets when I sat in the bleachers during his football games, cheering him on. For a while, I was even a temporary cheerleader and joined the girls on the field."

I chuckle a bit and Wasabi can't help but chuckle a bit with me. But then as I continue with my story, our laughter dies down.

"-But Dash and I did end up saying that we loved each other. Eventually. But by then, things happened and… there was an _accident._ He didn't make it. I went to New York with my sister, had a few hookups and didn't really date anyone, and then I came here."

I sigh deeply, running my fingers through my hair. I don't want to explain Amity to Wasabi, not yet. He doesn't need to know that. This discussion is about moving on, not my tragic past. I stand from my bed and head over to Wasabi, sitting down beside him.

"My point is, Wasabi, that shit happens. It always will. But if it's really meant to be, then it'll work out in the end. Got it, big guy?"

"Yeah, I get it," he huffs a bit, but there's a smile tugging on the corner of his face, "….Thanks, Danny. I needed that… And I'm sorry about Dash. Sam. All of them. But you're here with us now and from the looks of things, you're already moving on."

He nudges me with a suggestive look on his face, obviously talking about a certain robotic nerd. I laugh and nudge him back, hard enough that he loses his balance and collapses on the bed as I stand up.

"Yeah, yeah, just get some sleep. I don't want to have to drag your ass to the lab in the morning."

* * *

Wasbai was still sleeping when I woke up and I took extra caution in being quiet. I figure after last night, he needs the sleep so I tried to be quite as possible. The poor guy looked so tired out and drained that there was no way I could, in good conscious, wake him up for any reason. Besides, if he woke up then it'd be hard for me to explain why I'm sitting on the end of my bed without any pants on as I examine my thigh.

It's still throbbing lightly, but nearly as bad as it was before. The cut that I had made has healed slightly, but slower than usual. So while Wasabi was sleeping blissfully, I slipped into the communal bathroom (invisible) and cut open my leg once more. Hopefully, now that the pencil (which has apparently been stuck in my leg) is gone and it's stitched up again (correctly), it'll heal a bit better. Though as I walk, it still throbs lightly in pain.

However, I can't help but feel like a million bucks as I enter the lab wearing the new clothes I had gotten with Honey Lemon. The jacket fits like a glove. The vest makes me look slimmer and highlights my toned torso. The black trousers, while they aren't casual, they're not exactly fancy either, fit me well enough that I feel like my ass looks _amazing_. My over confidence doesn't go unnoticed by GoGo, who looks at me with a raised eyebrow and a small _eh I guess_ shrug before she returns to her work.

I strut all the way to my work area, well aware that a few of the nearby students turn to look at me for a moment with admiration. The second Honey Lemon spots me, however, she lets out a loud cheer.

"Danny," she cries out as she nearly tackles me into a hug, "Look at you! Those clothes look _a-mazing_ on you!"

She fawns and gushes over me, causing me to puff out my chest with pride. Seeing my smug look, GoGo turns her attention toward me once again with a small snort.

"You may want to stop praising him before his head gets any bigger."

"My head is a perfectly reasonable size, thank you very much," I retort, causing her to snort again before she turns her attention away from us.

Honey Lemon giggles a bit at our antics, but doesn't get a chance to give a comment of her own as Tadashi enters the shop. He looks around a bit in amusement with a small smile on his face, taking in Honey Lemon's giggling and GoGo's crinkled nose as she makes a face at me and Honey.

"What's all this about? What'd I miss?"

His eyes reach me, causing him to stop mid-step as he blinks a bit in shock at my appearance. His eyes slowly trail up and down my body, lingering slightly on certain parts of me such as the crouch, chest and arms. I stand up a bit straighter at his staring, wanting to look my best as he takes in every detail of me. Finally, his eyes land on my face as he locks eyes with me. After a second of strangely intense eye contact, Tadashi looks away with a large, deep flush on his face.

"You, uh, look good in that," Tadashi coughs a bit into his elbow as he ignores eye contact with me.

Honey Lemon has a shit-eating grin on her face as if some sort of plan of hers is working. She nudges me slightly as if to say _told you he'd like it._ I give her a small pointed look that causes her to look away innocently as if she never did or said anything.

"So, I um, wow," Tadashi stutters a bit, pulling at his collar, "it's getting kinda hot in here, isn't it? I guess I'll just go...umm….work in my lab now."

He all but high tails it out of the area as if there's fire nipping at his heels. Even after he's gone, my face is still warm and flushed as my cheeks puff out from embarrassment. Fred, GoGo and Honey Lemon are giving me looks that I'd rather avoid. Shifting on my feet a bit, I pull at the collar of my own shirt,

"I… I should go check up on him."

I nearly run out of there myself into Tadashi's more private lab that's separated from everyone else's. I find him hunched over his desk, his hands gripping the edge rather tightly as he ducks his head low. Even so, I can still see how red his face is as he tries to regain control of his breathing. I cough a bit to get his attention,

"Hey 'Dashi, everything okay?"

He jumps so quickly that for a brief moment, I'm concerned he's going to end up hitting the ceiling. He scrambles to regain his composure as he takes off his cap to run his fingers through his hair. He doesn't look me in the eyes as he shifts a bit on his feet, moving his legs rather awkwardly as he does so.

"Oh, hey Danny… I um… Those clothes are really good on you… Shit. I already said that, didn't I? God, I'm a mess."

He groans a bit and buries his face into his hands in embarrassment. He's so cute when he's like that. I can't help but chuckle a bit as I head over to him, giving him a pat on the back.

"Yeah, yeah you are, but you're a cute mess."


	27. Chapter Twenty-Six

**Meant to update yesterday, but I had lots going on and lots of plans. So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

* * *

 _ **Two Weeks Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I can't help but grin with excitement as I look at Honey Lemon. She sits patiently in my little station of the lab, her attention solemnly on me as she soaks up my words. As a chemist, I'm sure she can really understand what I'm saying as I explain the different chemical components of the stuff I'm using for the portal to her. It feels nice to explain things to her and know that what I'm saying is actually making sense. For a brief moment, my eyes go to Fred as he lingers in his bean bag chair nearby, soaking up every word I'm saying as well, though I doubt he knows what I'm saying.

Considering Tadashi isn't here today- he texted me earlier saying how he's staying at the cafe today to help Aunt Cass- it's giving me a chance to spend some more time with the rest of the gang. Though I did apologize to him, saying that I would go over and help him and Cass as well if I didn't have to really work on my project. He understands, of course. I knew that he would.

I carefully hold a small vial into the air. It's plugged securely so that the gas inside doesn't escape. Though through the glass of vial, you can see a faint green glow. A pair of gloves rest on my hands. Both Honey Lemon and I wear goggles, coats, gloves for safety reasons. She even has her hair pulled into a tight ponytail. I doubt anything could go wrong. Though my leg, while it's feeling considerably better, occasionally twitches or spasms in a way that would make me worry if I don't have more important things to think about.

"And this-," I hold up a small vial very carefully, "is actually a form of ectoplasm. An airborne form, if you can believe it, it takes a damn long time for ectoplasm to actually become a gas because, well, for one, it doesn't follow the same rules as other chemicals and elements here in this world, and two, it's so damn dense as a liquid. Breathing it is… I wouldn't say _dangerous,_ per say, but it can cause some freaky things to happen and you may or may not get a ghostly form of the flu."

"There's a ghost flu," Fred's voice is muffled slightly from the chips in his mouth.

"Yep," I pop the _p,_ "Lot more common then you think. It happens when someone is exposed to too much pure ectoplasm at once, exposed to strong ectoplasmic radiation for _extremely_ long periods of time, or even being attacked or bit by a ghost can lead to it. This ectoplasm is breathable so it effects you more. Side effects can include all sorts of paranormal stuff happening to you and your body. Think the normal flu plus like ten times the miserableness and a possible chance of falling through your bed. Not off. _Through._ "

Granted, being exposed with too much ectoplasm is different than being electrocuted to the point of near death _with_ ectoplasm. I flex my hand just thinking about it. Fred's jaw hangs open as he gapes at me and my words, his eyes lighting up, causing me to make a face. Honey Lemon gives me a nervous grin, but I can see in her eyes that she's not sure whether to believe me or not. Though she still eyes the vial cautiously.

"Hmm I'm sure that Tadashi would catch you if you fall through your bed though," Honey Lemon comments slyly.

Her words cause me to jump from shock, struggling to catch the vial as it falls through my hands. I manage to catch it and I give her a small glare as my face flushes bright red. I never expected her to make any sort of comment like that. GoGo maybe, but not her.

"Oh, don't ask so flustered, Danny," Honey Lemon waves me off, "I think you two make a cute couple."

I flush even deeper as I put away the vial, afraid I may drop it if she or someone else shocks me again.

"We're not a couple," I mumble.

My response causes a few of the others to turn their attention to me. I even see a few of the others in the labs- one I don't even really know by name- look at me with disbelief briefly before returning to their work. Wasabi and GoGo, however, are openly staring at me in disbelief. GoGo has an eyebrow quirked at me as she pops her bubble gum. Fred is wheezing from laughter, struggling not to choke on his chips. Even Honey Lemon is gaping at me slightly.

"W-What," Honey Lemon struggles to find her words, "But how can you not be a couple? I thought you were dating him?"

"It's complicated," I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

"What's so complicated," Fred speaks up in confusion, "You like him, he likes you, why can't you two, just ya know, _get together and do the do~"_

He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, causing me to sigh in exasperation at the horrible rhyme. Thankfully, GoGo is close enough to us now that she just gives him a swift hit upside the head, saving me the trouble of doing it myself.

"Fred," Honey Lemon lightly scolds him before turning her attention back to me, "But really, Danny, I don't see how it can be that complicated."

I open my mouth to reply to her, though I'm not entirely sure of what to say. But no words leave my mouth as a small tiny blue wisp leaves my mouth. Even if I did manage to say something, it'd be cut off by a very, all-too-familiar voice screaming out.

 _"_ _DADDY!"_

Her voice cuts through all the noise of the lab, making me freeze slightly. A turmoil of emotions run through me at once. Happy. Shock. Confusion. A few curses run through my mind as well. Though I don't have a chance to process too much before I'm tackled to the ground be a blur of black and white. _Ellie._ My precious little daughter. She clings to me tightly, her arms wrapped around my neck as she giggles loudly and I can't help but grin at her and spin her around playfully.

"Ellie," my voice rings out, "My precious little princess!"

She giggles even louder as I swing her about, but the second my eyes leave her to the people around me, I stop. I can see the cause of my ghost sense going off panting happily beside me as he begs quietly for attention. Thankfully, he's invisible and not making enough noise to be noticed. But I should have known that if Ellie is going to show up that Cujo would be right behind her. Everyone's attention, however, is directly on the bundle in my arms rather than my free hand that slips to my side to discretely rub Cujo's head.

Fred is gaping like a fish, his jaw practically hitting the ground as his eyes go wide. Wasabi is staring in confusion, opening and closing his mouth as he struggles to find the words. GoGo seems put-off as her eyes widen and her mouth gapes slightly. Honey Lemon, however, doesn't seem so much as shocked as she seems to be happy- _awwing_ slightly at the cute little bundle in my arms.

 _Shit, shit, shit, shit._ Panic grips me momentarily as I struggle to find out what I can tell them. It's pretty obvious that I can't talk my way out of this, but I'm not sure how I can really explain her. More so, I'm not sure what their reactions would be for me having a kid so young. Oblivious to the tension and shock she's caused, Ellie still giggles happily against my chest as I hold her. Wasabi's eyes go back and forth between Ellie and myself before he becomes the first to speak up.

"….Um Danny… is that… are you her…?"

I adjust my grip on Ellie and let her climb up onto my shoulders. She giggles happily as she suddenly becomes 'as tall as a giant' and rests her head on top of mine as her legs dangle over the front of my shoulders. I hold onto her legs gently to make sure she won't fall off, but I doubt that she will. She's like a little monkey. A little, ghostly monkey.

I swallow at Wasabi's question and tense up slightly before I finally find my voice.

"Uh… yeah. She's my daughter. I… I wasn't sure how any of you would react so I haven't really said anything about her, but she's the love of my life."

I can see a little light go off in Wasabi's head as the gears start turning. For a moment, I briefly wonder in amusement if there will be steam coming from his ears.

" _Love of your life…._ So when you were talking before about the love of your life, you actually meant her?"

I can see a whisper of agreement spread between the group briefly, but I can't help but grin slightly. The cat's out of the bag and what can I say? I'm a proud father.

"Yep," I pop the _p,_ "You got it. This is Ellie… Ellie, these are daddy's friends- Wasabi, Honey, Fred and GoGo."

I carefully say their names slowly as I point each of them out to her. She hums a bit at each name, mumbling them slowly to herself as she tries to learn how to say them. Though after I say Honey Lemon's name (a shortened version of it since I doubt Ellie can actually say _Honey Lemon),_ Ellie shifts from her place on my shoulders in excitement, giddily saying _honey, honey, honey_ over and over again.

Honey Lemon's eyes light up as she lets out a small squeal about how cute she is and I already know that she's going to be spoiling my daughter rotten. I can see GoGo smiling, ever so slightly, and even Fred seems to be going _awww_. I can't help but snort in amusement. Ellie always has a way of making people fawn over her, creating adoring fans everywhere she goes.

"And what about her mother," GoGo asks bluntly, crossing her arms slightly.

The mention of the word _mother_ causes Ellie to quiet down as she shrinks on my shoulders, ducking down behind my head as she buries her face into my hair. The mention of her mother has always been rough on her- it's rough on the both of us sometimes. My face falls as I falter slightly, swallowing thickly as I move Ellie from my shoulders and into my arms. She's small enough that she curls to my chest, burying her face as I hold her with just one arm.

Even Cujo, though no one aside from Ellie and I can see him when he's invisible, ducks his head down with a small whimper.

"Not in the picture," I say simply before I cover Ellie's ears, "Her mother wasn't exactly….happy about having a daughter. We tried to make it work, really, but considering we were already broken up and Sam…. Look, she's just not in the picture, okay?"

My eyes are pleading for them to not question me farther and they nod slightly, indicating that they get the message. Sighing in relief, I let go of Ellie's ears, causing her to look up at me in confusion with a small pout. I make a funny face at her to cheer up and it works as she giggles and squirms in my hold.

"She was staying with my sister," I explain, "Back in New York… So I'm not entirely sure why or how she got here…"

I furrow my brows slightly as I look at Ellie, whose the picture of innocence.

"Ellie, where's your Auntie Jazz?"

Ellie shrugs and makes a face at me, signaling that she doesn't know and frankly, she doesn't care. Thankfully, I don't exactly have to go looking for Jazz as she comes running to the lab, slightly out of breath as she mutters faint curses. Her bright orange hair is messy and her clothes are slightly disheveled. Her eyes go to Ellie and I, causing her to sigh in visible relief as she makes her way to us.

"She's about as fast as you were," Jazz offers, "I swear, that girl can outrun any marathon runner."

She eyes the people around us briefly with caution, her face flushed from all the running. I give her a small smile as Ellie giggles at her aunt's presence.

"Jazz, these are some friends of mine- I think I already told you about them- Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo and Fred. Guys, this is my older sister Jazz… Who I thought had a conference in Washington to go to?"

I can see them all take in Jazz- all the way to our height difference and her bright orange hair to the black turtleneck she wears. Jazz briefly greets the gang before she turns her attention to me with a cheeky smile.

"I do. I'm actually on my way there, but I thought, _why have Ellie stay with James when she can stay here with a father that she dearly misses_ _and a father who dearly misses her_? I already talked to your professors- Professor Callaghan in particular vouched for you, by the way- and as long as you take care of her, she doesn't get into trouble, she's safe, and Wasabi, since he's your roommate, is okay with it then they have no problem with it. So basically, don't screw it up and I'll pick her up when my conference is over."

I knew she was up to something. I freaking knew it. I make a face at her, but she just continues to give me this cheeky grin. Damn it. I totally knew she was planing something. But it's hard to be mad at her when her plan led to me having Ellie for at least a few weeks- which I'm guessing is how long Jazz's conference is since it's usually that long. Though I'm a bit surprised that the college is allowing this and hearing about Professor Callaghan's involvement in makes me a bit uneasy, but I suppose if it ends with me spending time with Ellie, it can't be that bad.

Besides, if all else fails, I'm sure that Aunt Cass will be more than happy to help me take care of her and allow her to stay over there with her, Hiro and Tadashi. Hell, if that does end up happening, you can bet your ass that I'll be staying over there as well to keep an eye on my trouble-making daughter.

"Wow, thanks for that confidence boost," I stick my tongue out at her, causing her to roll her eyes in amusement, "But jokes aside…. Thanks, Jazzy. I mean it."

I give her a small smile, causing her to light up as she gives me a big, tight hug, squishing Ellie in between us which causes her to squirm and squeal.

"Oh you're welcome, little brother," Jazz coos, "I'm so happy that you and Ellie will be able to spend some time together…. And it takes a load of James' shoulders since he was so nervous about watching her anyway. But really, Danny, treasure the time with her while you can, I mean it."

She lightly scolds me, causing me to roll my eyes, but the smile stays on my face. There's something about our little banter that just warms me up inside, giving me a feeling I didn't even realize that I'm missing until now. After what seems like forever, Jazz finally lets me go with a fond expression on her face and gives both Ellie and I small kisses on our foreheads, causing me to gag. I choose to ignore Fred's barely muffled laughter over the action, knowing that if I acknowledge it then he'd find out just what type of pranks a ghost can do.

"I have to get going and head to the conference, but promise to keep me updated, especially about a certain somebody~"

My face flushes heavily as she winks at me before dashing out of the lab, causing Honey Lemon to giggle slightly. Even GoGo and Wasabi seem pretty amused by my sister's antics, causing me to grumble under my breath as I return to my portal.

* * *

A sleeping little girl curls into my chest as I gently hold her in my arms. She's light as a feather, so it's no problem carrying her as I make my way back to my dorm room. I don't mind that I'm heading back earlier than usual because my precious little princess is so tuckered out and frankly, I can always use this time to work on my blueprints anyway. With a small smile on my face, I shake my head as I make my way through the hall, gaining a few double takes and strange looks from people passing by.

Mild telekinesis, one of the powers from my ghostly half I haven't really worked on that much, is helpful in times like this. I don't even have to adjust my grip on her as I use the telekinesis to slowly turn the doorknob, causing the doorknob to faintly glow green as the door began to creak open. Cujo wastes no time in whipping past my ankles into the room, yipping playfully before I frantically command him to calm down. It takes a moment, but he does as asked and stops running and jumping around to settle on a place at the floor in his little puppy form. At least he's still invisible to people.

I carefully make my way through the dorm and place Ellie in my bed. It's big enough that we should both be able to fit in it easily- especially since Ellie has a habit of just laying across my chest when she sleeps. If we do end up having problems, then I wouldn't mind sleeping on the floor if it meant that she can sleep easy.

I tuck her in with a fond smile on my face, watching her expression of serenity as she snuggles into the blankets. She's a lot of trouble sometimes, but man, is she worth it.

"Hey Danny," a loud voice calls from the doorway, causing me to wince as I turn to face them.

Wasabi stands in the doorway, causing me to frantically shush him. He winces when he sees the sleeping girl in my bed and mumbles a soft _sorry._ He enters carefully, practically tip-toeing to avoid making too much noise as he joins me by the bed. He eyes her with a gentle expression on his face for a moment before he turns to me.

"I take it this means she's the complication you mentioned," at my nod, he continued, "...And she's Sam's? You told me about Sam are you sure that she's- No, nevermind, she's clearly yours."

I wince slightly at the mention of Sam's name, but puff out my chest at his ending statement. Of course Ellie is mine- she always _will_ be mine, no matter what she's my daughter. At this point, I wouldn't even say that she's _Sam's and I's_ daughter nor _Sam's_ at all. She's _my_ daughter.

"She has my charisma and good looks," I nudge him lightly with a small teasing expression, causing him to snort.

"More like she has your mischievous eyes," Wasabi corrects, "… I take it, however, that since you didn't tell us that Tadashi doesn't know either?"

I can't help but look away at the mention of Tadashi and that's all it takes for Wasabi to know that Tadashi obviously doesn't know about Ellie, causing him to _tsk_ at me slightly.

"You should really tell him, Danny, I just haven't figured out why you haven't yet."

"Because I want to be serious with him, Wasabi, it's simple as that," my voice drops low and soft, "Maybe it's a bit much to think of since we're like only twenty-one and maybe I do have flings occasionally. But Tadashi is different. He's someone I could really care about, someone I could actually have a relationship with and with feelings like those, I have to be careful. Because if someone dates me, they don't just get me. They get Ellie too. And I have to think of her first. What if she gets her hopes up of having a second parental figure only to get crushed? What if he doesn't accept her at all?"

 _What if he doesn't accept our status as halfas,_ I continue mentally, rubbing my arms a bit nervously. Wasabi, however, just raises an eyebrow at me.

"You really think that he's going to mind you having a daughter?"

"What and you don't," I snap slightly, causing him to shake his head.

"No, not really. But what do I know? Maybe it will bother him," I lower my head at that statement but he continues, "….For like two minutes before he realizes that you obviously love your daughter."

He clasps my shoulder lightly in a comforting manner causing me to give him a wry smile. He gives me the same gently smile as he gently squeezes my shoulder,

"And since the mother's not in the picture, you don't really have anything to worry about…. Except for the fact that he may end up loving Ellie, maybe even as much as you do."


	28. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**Hello! Hope that you all had a nice Thanksgiving (if you celebrate it) and a safe Black Friday (if you even have it). I know I had a nice time shopping on Black Friday- spent nearly 200, but in my defense it was such a fun trip out and I got some hella cute stuff.**

 **On the downside, my hands are acting up with _something-_ possibly some minor form of eczema. Which basically, my hands are flaring up and drying so much that my knuckles are bruised/cracking/bleed.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Despite Wasabi's words, I still haven't had the courage to tell Tadashi about Ellie. One may be asking how I can actually keep it a secret from him if everyone else practically knows. The answer is simple. Bribing them with free food. Twenty tacos and three stacks of waffles later, I manage to convince Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Fred to keep quite about Ellie and that I will eventually tell Tadashi, but I will tell him _myself_ and on my own time.

Which means that for the past few days, I've been taking Ellie all over town in order to avoid running into Tadashi. I've texted and called him a few times, but every time he's asked me where I was or if I wanted to meet up, I ended up giving a few white lies or keeping it pretty vague. Due to being out so much, I've never even ran into him at the college or the times he went to my dorm to see me (as Wasabi did inform me that he's done).

Currently, however, Ellie and I are enjoying some time practicing our ghostly abilities on a small abandoned island far from the city. A search of the island has assured me that there is absolutely no one on the island and no ghosts nearby. Our ghostly auras shine bright around us, giving us an eerie white glow under the starry night's moon. My eyes are shining a brilliant green at the use of my powers as Ellie's eyes shine even brighter than my own.

"Just a bit higher, Elle-Belle," I instruct carefully, "Come on you can do it."

I float a few feet off the ground, only a bit higher than her as I gently grasp her arms from behind her to help her up. She's been getting better, but she still tends to loose control sometimes which is why I'm making sure we're taking it slow and easy. It's also why I have a pretty firm grip on her so that she just doesn't go off floating endlessly though the skies.

Cujo barks playfully at our feet, his tongue flopping around wildly as he pants. Thankfully, he's in his much smaller form so I don't exactly have to worry about a giant-ass glowing green dog being reported in the news.

My phone goes off, causing Ellie to jump and shoot up another two feet into the air. I carefully keep her steady, uttering words of reassurance as she looks at me sheepishly. I keep one hand firmly on her arm as I take out my phone. I easily balance the phone between my shoulder and ear so I can keep my hands on Ellie to balance her.

" _Hello? Danny,"_ Tadashi's voice comes over the phone, _"I… Uh… I haven't seen you in a while. You okay? I, uh, is there anything wrong? Or have I… have I said or done something?"_

My heart twists at those words. Shit. He sounds so disappointed and broken.

"No! No, you haven't done anything," my voice almost cracks from how high it goes form sheer panic, causing me to cough slightly to get it back to normal, "I, uh, I've just been busy. But you haven't done anything wrong, I swear."

Ellie's ears perk up at those words as she looks over her shoulder at me curiously, her head titled a bit to the side. I flush slightly at my daughter's inquisitive look. Even Cujo barks at my words.

" _...Oh, thank God. I was kinda worried there for a second…. I'm sorry, I haven't slept in a while so I couldn't really remember if maybe I actually did say or do something to piss you off…. And did I just hear a dog?"_

I hear him yawn deeply, causing me to raise an eyebrow. Carefully, I lower Ellie and I myself to the ground, still holding her gently in case she accidentally goes shooting into the air again.

"Tadashi," I say gently, ignoring the dog comment, "Do me a favor and get some sleep, okay?"

" _But I can't,_ " he stresses, " _I can't sleep when I swear that I'm just this close to getting Baymax working properly and-"  
_

"-Tadashi," I interrupt him swiftly, "Your project can wait. But you're tired and if you work when you're so sleep deprived, you're bound to end up getting hurt or doing a mistake you can't undo. So please," my voice softens, "get some sleep, 'Dashi."

There's a brief pause on the other end of the phone. Ellie frowns slightly since the phone's taking most of my attention, causing her to start to crawl her away to my shoulders. I move the phone from between my ear and shoulder to my hand so she can sit up there easier. I give her a small amused look, causing her to smile happily before I turn my attention back to the phone as I hear Tadashi finally speak up.

"… _._ _Okay. I'll try to get some sleep. I.. Thanks, Danny, um goodnight, I guess."  
_

"Night, 'Dashi."

I hang up swiftly before Ellie can say anything- and judging from how she's still leaning forward toward the phone suggests that she was at least thinking about it. I give her an amused grin as I take her off my shoulders and bring her into my arms, tickling her slightly. She giggles madly as she squirms in my arms before I stop tickling her. Once she has caught her breath, she looks at me curiously.

"Who that, Daddy," she asks cutely with her head titled to the side.

I gulp slightly, thinking over the correct way to answer the question before I finally speak up.

"That was Tadashi, princess. He's someone that your daddy cares about, very, very much."

* * *

It's still too early to head to the college. Even though it's unlikely Tadashi will be there since he's promised to get some sleep, I just don't feel like going to the dorm yet. Especially since Ellie still has a lot of pent up energy and man, is she _wide awake._ I don't know where she gets the energy from but she's like a little puppy. Playing with one thing one second, hyper as hell the next, before just randomly plopping down asleep.

So my plan is to go somewhere and hope that she'll just plop down asleep after a while. The waffle house is a no-go because I can't eat food from there anyway (and neither of us are hungry). Park's a bit too dangerous this time of night for my liking. So I suppose that leaves one option. The gym. I doubt it's going to be crowded this time of night on a Thursday and A.D. strikes me as someone whose good with kids so if all else fails, I'm sure he wouldn't mind keeping her entertained. Granted, that is _if_ Ellie doesn't mind spending time with him because while she's friendly with other kids, she's sometimes cautious of other adults.

Thankfully, when we enter the gym it's rather empty. Cujo still walks right behind my heel, now invisible to avoid unwanted attention. I'm not surprised at all to see A.D. at the counter looking like he wants nothing more than to sleep. He has bags under his eyes and is holding a coffee cup in his shaking hand. The guy looks like a wreck. GoGo lounges by the counter causally, pausing in her conversation with A.D. to give me a small nod of hello.

A.D. takes a moment to notice me, but eventually he does. He looks up with a bit of shock, mild confusion, and an eventual _ah fuck it_.

"Hey Danny….Hey, little Danny?"

He furrows his brows in confusion, setting the coffee cup down in favor for rubbing his eyes slightly, muttering a bit to himself about possibly seeing double. I snort a bit in amusement and set Ellie down, holding her hand gently as I lead her over to the counter. I knock on the counter a bit loudly to gain A.D.'s attention,

"You're not seeing double, she's my daughter, Ellie. Ellie, this is A.D."

He makes an _ah I get it now_ face and doesn't voice any complaints. Ellie gives a hesitant wave to GoGo- the one person she has already met briefly, causing GoGo to smile slightly as she gives a swift wave back before giving me a very pointed _you didn't see anything_ look. After she looks briefly to me for the okay, Ellie gives a small wave to A.D. Almost instantly, A.D. lights up, grinning madly as he enthusiastically waves back to her.

"Well, hello there, cutie, you're so cute I could just eat you right up."

Ellie's eyes widen as she whispers a soft and confused, ' _eat...me…?'_ before she dodges behind my leg with a mildly frightened expression on her face. Holding back a wince, almost expecting my leg to flare up in pain, I'm almost surprised when my leg is fine. No twitches. No pain. Oh thank God, it's healed. I was almost beginning to worry about it since it was taking so long to completely heal. I wonder if the pencil being in my leg as long as it was, effected my leg a bit more than I thought? Maybe the pencil penetrated a muscle or vein- the ectoplasm would have kept it from seriously bleeding or being _extremely_ painful, but it would hurt nonetheless. It would explain why it took so long to heal.

I almost sigh in relief before I remember what's going on around me. It takes a second for me to process everything and acknowledge the fact that A.D. _scared_ Ellie. I give a bland, _look what you did_ look to A.D. who waves his hands in defense, though that doesn't stop GoGo from swiftly knocking him upside the head. The action causes Ellie to giggle slightly before she hesitantly comes out from behind my leg. She looks to me for directions on what to do and I give her a soft, _go ahead,_ and gesture for her to go up to them.

A bit more confidently now, Ellie walks straight up to GoGo and A.D. with a hesitant look on her face. I can't help but grin in amusement as she very cautiously holds her arms up toward GoGo. GoGo looks to me and after I give her a nod, she hesitantly picks up Ellie awkwardly and cautiously, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't hide that small smile on her face.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Cujo tense as he waits to attack in case I give him the command.

"Aww, you're a natural, GoGo," A.D. coos, "And she's just the cutest thing! Makes me want to have kids of my own but, well, there's not many people who want to have kids with a guy who has ovaries, ya know? Plus _ugh,_ _labor_. Granted, I guess I could always save up money and do that bone marrow baby shit that's becoming popular now. But then that brings up the issue on who the other half of the DNA could or should be-"

He makes a face slightly and his words only farther confirm that he is indeed a transmale- someone who is biologically born as a female (with female genitalia) who identifies as a male. A light bulb almost seems to go off in his mind as he turns to GoGo, opening his mouth to ask her a question, but she shuts him down rather quickly,

"Don't even think about it," she says dryly.

GoG adjusts her grip on Ellie as she speaks. Though no matter how she tries, it's pretty obvious that she's still holding Ellie wrong. I almost step forward to help her before A.D. steps in with an exaggerated eye roll,

"You're holding her wrong," he points out as he helps GoGo adjust her grip.

They almost look like a couple when they stand there so close together, A.D. gently grasping GoGo's arms as he helps her. It would have been cuter if Ellie isn't the child they're holding and a small flare of obsessiveness flares up in my chest causing me to step forward and practically snatch Ellie back from them.

"Alright, that's enough, I think Ellie is getting tired."

I hold Ellie in my arms and she looks at me a bit in confusion before I give her a certain look. She seems to understand and plops limp into my arms, acting as if she's asleep as she adjusts herself in my arms. GoGo and A.D don't seem convinced as they share looks of amusement between themselves, but they don't argue.

"Sleepy huh," A.D. chuckles a bit to himself before continuing, "Well, I hope you guys have a nice night then, be sure to read that cutie a hell of a bed time story."

He waves a bit lazily in farewell, plopping back down at his chair behind the counter. GoGo gives me a goodbye of her own, nodding her head briskly and I return the action easily before I head out of the gym with a now-actually-asleep little girl.

Just like I thought, she's _exactly_ like a little puppy.


	29. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**Hope you all are having a nice winter season and enjoying the upcoming holidays! Please leave a review~**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

After Tadashi's call last night, I have to go to the cafe to make sure he's okay. Ellie walks with me, holding my hand tightly as we walk across the street toward the cafe. Because I'm not sure if Hiro will have the ghost hunting stuff I gave him active and out or not, I've ordered Cujo to wait outside the cafe in case I need him, which I doubt that I will. Still, he stands at attention just outside the cafe door with his ears turned up, ready for trouble. I roll my eyes slightly at his over protective behavior, knowing full well there's not that many, if any, threats. Even if there are, I am here to protect Ellie.

The second I walk through the cafe with Ellie, Aunt Cass greets me as she prepares some food behind the counter.

"Good morning, Danny, Tadashi and Hiro are out right now but-"

She stops mid-sentence as she looks up at me. Her eyes go straight to Ellie before a large grin stretches across her face. Ellie ducks behind my leg, shyly gazing at Aunt Cass with caution.

"And whose that cutie," Aunt Cass crinkles her nose with a cooing tone in her voice, "Don't tell me that's the cute daughter you've mentioned? Ellie, isn't it?"

"Hmm-hmm," I nod a bit and carefully remove Ellie from my leg, "Ellie, this is Cass. She's a friend of daddy's."

Ellie doesn't want to move. If anything, she's actually become more cautious as she latches herself onto my leg. I give Aunt Cass a sheepish expression and a small shrug, causing Aunt Cass to laugh as I walk carefully to the counter, taking large high steps that swing Ellie around. She giggles and holds on tightly, refusing to be shaken off. Aunt Cass eyes Ellie with a very fond expression and a wistful gaze in her eyes.

"Hiro was like that too- he would latch onto my leg and refused to let go for anything… But there was always one thing that could get him off."

She gets a small devious grin on her face as she leans down to face Ellie a bit better,

"What do you say, honey? Do you want some hot chocolate and cookies?"

Ellie's eyes light up before she nods slowly, licking her lips cutely as a sign that she _really_ wants those cookies and hot chocolate. Aunt Cass winks at her before disappearing into the kitchen, presumably to get the things she's promised. Ellie slowly comes out from my behind my leg and with care, I set her up on of the tall chairs at the counter, causing her to squeal and giggle.

"Aww, she's cute as button," Aunt Cass coos as she returns with what she promised.

Ellie lights up at the sight of the mug and plate of cookies, hopping around in her seat. Aunt Cass chuckles a bit at the girl's antics and gently sets down the mug and cookies with a soft, _be careful it's hot,_ and hands me a mug of my special coffee. My face brightens up considerably at the coffee.

"-Because I know how much you love your coffee," Aunt Cass winks, causing me to laugh.

"Yeah, well I need my energy if I want to keep up with thus bundle of energy," I playfully use my free hand to ruffle Ellie's hair.

My little girl swats at my hands for distracting her when she's eating. She already looks like a small chipmunk- her cheeks are full of cookies and she shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. I can see Aunt Cass eye her with amusement twinkling in her eyes as she smiles a bit fondly.

"Hmm-hmm, she can sure eat her weight in cookies, can't she? Hiro used to that. Tadashi too, even when he was thirteen, he could still find ways of sneaking cookies into his room to snack on for later. But whenever I went up there, I found out that he was just stealing them for Hiro. It was the cutest thing."

She sighs a bit wistfully and there's a far-away look in her eyes as she remembers the past. It takes a moment, but eventually she shakes her head and brings herself back to the present with a smile.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought you said that she was with your sister in New York."

"She was," I agree, "But then Jazz had a conference to go to and the next thing I know, I'm watching over the little munchkin for the next week or so. The college is cool with her staying over there with me but..."

I trail off slightly, not vocalizing my request yet Aunt Cass seems to understand as she continues to smile and put a hand on my shoulder.

"You and her are more than welcome to stay here with us while she's here, Danny. You should know that you're always welcome here- you're practically family! Though, I'm taking you haven't told Tadashi yet?"

I shrug a bit sheepishly causing her to make a face at me.

"I'll tell him," I reassure her quickly, "That's actually kind of why I'm here-"

I stop speaking suddenly as I head the door to the cafe open and two very familiar voices reach my ears. I turn on my heels to see Tadashi and Hiro entering the cafe, grinning and laughing in a brotherly manner with Tadashi going as far as ruffing Hiro's hair fondly. The sight of Tadashi causes me to freeze and for a moment, panic washes over me as I forget everything I was going to tell him about Ellie. I lose my nerve. I don't snap back to reality until Aunt Cass smacks me upside the head with a _there he is, go do it_ expression as she nods toward Tadashi.

I gulp down half of the coffee in one shot, probably a bad idea, but I really need it if I want to get through with this. I leave Ellie at the counter- as she's still pretty occupied by the cookies- and head toward Tadashi and Hiro with shaking knees and faltering confidence.

"Hey Danny," Hiro is the first to notice me as he gives me a big grin.

At Hiro's greeting, Tadashi's eyes snap to me. His eyes light up and with a faint blush, he grins at me. From the way he looks at me, you'd think I'm some sort of miracle. I try to speak up, but my voice dies in my throat. I can't seem to even get out a simple _hello_ or _hey._ Just absolutely nothing. Hiro furrows his brows at my silence as Tadashi focuses on my face, eying me with concern.

"Danny," Tadashi speaks up, "...Are you okay?"

Once again, my voice dies in my throat. Yet at this point, Ellie has apparently finished her cookies. From the corner of my eyes, I see her attention go straight to me, Hiro and Tadashi. Before Aunt Cass can stop her, Ellie's burst into a run and heads straight for me. She slows down as she nears us, cautious of Hiro and Tadashi as she ducks behind my leg, looking up at them curiously.

"Daddy," Ellie speaks up, "Who they?"

My attention goes straight to her at the sound of her voice. Though from the corners of my eyes, I can see Hiro and Tadashi looking as if they've just been shot. Tadashi, in particular, looks rather hurt and upset. I lift Ellie up and hold her in my arms as she peers curiously at them.

"Ellie, these are some of Daddy's friends," I say gently, my voice cracking slightly.

I eye them both cautiously, gauging their reactions carefully. Tadashi seems so tense it's a miracle he hasn't broken his jaw from how tight he's clenching his teeth together. His shoulders are stiff as he stands at attention and his eyes seem guarded and cold- so cold that it almost throws me off for a moment. Hiro seems a bit angry as well, tensing up just like his brother as he eyes my daughter with caution. Oblivious to the anger and tension in the air, Ellie gives Hiro a shy wave and giggle, causing Hiro's anger to quickly wash away.

"You're daughter," Hiro turns to me questionably, "...She's your daughter, right? I… You didn't tell me- us- that you have a daughter."

I just shrug and, avoiding his unspoken question about me not telling them, I set Ellie on the ground,

"This is Ellie, she's my precious little girl and I promise that she's not going to bite you unless you get in the way of her and her cookies."

I give a forced smile at them, but Hiro is the only one that sees the humor in my words. Tadashi still hasn't spoken a word. He just glares at me in such a broken manner that I can feel my stomach turning. Then, without a word, he just walks past me and Ellie up the stairs, straight to the bedroom. Hiro watches with a confused, slightly hurt expression before he turns to me. But my eyes are still on the stairs.

"...Hiro, keep an eye on Ellie, I'll be right back."

I gently reassure my daughter that she'll be fine with Hiro and after convinced that she'll be okay, I head straight up the stairs to go after Tadashi, awaiting for whatever hell that is going to be unleashed.

* * *

I find Tadashi in his bedroom. He sits on the bed with his head in his hands, running his fingers lightly through his hair. His expression is so hurt, so _broken_ , that it physically pains me and I can't ignore the hints of tears in his eyes as he struggles to control his breathing. A pang of guilt and shame stings me before I cautiously make my way to him, slowly, until I'm standing by the bed. It takes a moment for him to notice my presence before he looks up at me, a bit harsh and cold, but mostly just hurt.

"Oh God, you're a father," his voice cracks, "….I… what… why didn't you tell me?"

I run my fingers through my hair, in an effort to shake off my nerves.

"...It's hard to explain."

It's beyond hard to explain why I didn't tell him. How I didn't want him to reject me, or worse, reject Ellie. How I was terrified of what he may say, and how I'm _still_ terrified about what's going to happen as a result of this. But Tadashi just snorts, unamused by my answer,

"What's hard to explain," his voice turns a bit bitter, "That you're already with someone? That you lied to all of us- lied to _me?_ That you actually got me to care about you and you-"

He stops suddenly as his voice cracks and with brings a fist to his mouth. I tense up a bit at his words and can't help but feel a bit defensive. How dare he think that. How dare he think that I don't care about him or his feelings or so much as _think_ that I could have manipulated him because _nothing_ could be farther from the truth.

"-No you idiot," I snap, "It's hard to explain because I actually want to go steady with you, that is actually _date_ you and God, you're hopelessly clueless and annoying and stubborn and jealous but I like that, I like _you._ But I wanted you to meet Ellie first because it's a package deal. I just can't seriously date anyone because I can't do that to her so I just- God, I just _really, really_ care about you, okay? I _like_ you, Tadashi."

Tadashi's eyes watch him closely with stormy, mixed emotions. He mouths the words _I, you, what,_ to himself as he struggles to speak up. I can see the gears processing in his head as he tries to understand what I've said. I feel so drained that I can't help but just plop on the bed beside him and for a moment, we sit there in a tense, emotional silence on the bed as we both struggle to find the words.

"….And her mother," Tadashi finally whispers, "…. Is she- I mean are you two-"

"Her mom was Sam," I answer softly, "Ya know, the ex-girlfriend I mentioned that… _died…_. I guess it doesn't matter anyway, she wasn't that much of a mom even before she-"

I choke up for a moment before continuing,

"-the point is, Ellie is _my_ daughter. She is _my_ precious little girl..."

He gulps thickly, understanding briefly crossing his features. He takes a few deep breaths, still processing everything as he muses it all over before he finally looks to me again. His expression is still slightly hurt, but soft and forgiving. Understanding. Loving. Caring. God, I love that look on him.

"...So you really like me, huh," Tadashi whispers, "I mean, _really_ like me?"

"Yes, 'Dashi," I snort, "I _really_ , _really_ like you. As in- not as a friend, as in I really want to date you and kiss your stupid lips type of _like."_

He takes a few more deep, processing breaths, opening and closing his mouth before he swallows thickly. A blush spreads across his cheeks and when it becomes clear he's not going to say something, I move a bit closer to him. My breathing turns a bit shallow as my heart pounds erratically in my chest. I lick my lips slightly and for a moment, nothing else exists. It's just us. Just me. Just him.

"...Tadashi," my voice is low and soft, "….Can I kiss you?"

It takes a second, but he nods slowly, cautiously, and I take that as the sign to continue. It seems like forever before our lips finally press together. He tenses under the sensation before he relaxes and my hands go his face as the kiss momentarily deepens. I can feel our auras mixing and fading together in such an intimate way that I shiver slightly. It's nothing fancy. There's no tongue. There's no touching aside from my hands on his cheeks and his on my arms.

But it's _intense._

It's _electric._

It is… _He is…_ _something else._


	30. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**Sorry I forgot to update it yesterday! Hope you enjoy the cute chapter~**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**

* * *

 _ **A Few Days Later**_

 _ **Tadashi Hamada**_

According to Danny, the only reason he has Ellie with him right now is because his sister is going to a conference in Washington D.C…. It's also why he's staying with me, Hiro and Aunt Cass until Ellie leaves. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. It's not exactly a good idea for Danny and I to share a room after kinda confessing to each other and establishing a relationship.

The mere thought of that causes a large blush to spread across my cheeks. It's kinda hard to believe. Danny and I are actually dating. As in we're officially a couple now- not that the gang really knows yet since Danny and I have been rather busy this past weekend.

But there's no tension that lingers between us. No dirty secrets. No dancing around each other. We're just an honest-to-God _couple_. That does actual couple things like holding hands, occasionally a quick kiss on the cheek, cuddling with each other in some way, shape or form whenever we get the chance. Granted, we're a bit different than other couples- and not just because of our gender or height different. He has a daughter. An actual daughter that seems to be a _tiny_ bit shy with strangers and doesn't seem to talk that much unless it's to Danny. A daughter that apparently loves tutus and warriors and swords and ghosts and puppies. A daughter that is actually squirming her way into my heart.

I know I have to be careful with her, and Danny for that matter. If I say something or do something wrong, then it's _game over_. If Ellie doesn't like me, it's _game over…_ If I end up moving too quickly it's _game over._ If I end up feeling too strongly, too quickly, then it may just be _game over…._

I glance slightly to the girl in question. I can see the resemblance between her and Danny. She has that same mischievous blue eyes. The same smile. Her hair is a bit more raven than actual black like his and her nose is curved a bit different as well, but that's the only hints that she even gets _something_ from her mother. Said mother is his dead ex-girlfriend…. Sometimes I feel like I've walked into some ectoplasmic soap opera… _ectoplasmic._ God, he's rubbing off on me even more than I thought.

"'Dashi," Ellie excitedly squeals at my side as she grips my hand tightly, looking up at me with sparkling eyes- my other hand is occupied by Danny's own hand.

Danny and I have decided that since Ellie is going to be leaving soon, our first date can be a bit more kid-friendly. A trip to the zoo seems rather perfect and feels a bit like a family outing with Ellie at my side and Hiro sticking close to Danny. I have to admit that it _still_ impresses me how fast Hiro latched onto Danny as if he is his brother. Though, from how Danny looks at me and Ellie, I think he's impressed at how quick Ellie has latched onto me.

"She's taken quite the liking to you," Danny comments in amusement, "I don't think I've ever seen her seen her so friendly with someone so quickly before. What's your secret?"

He nudges me jokingly, a grin on his face. I can't help but notice the faint limp in his walk, but I don't question it. Knowing Danny, he'd brush it off anyway. Hiro walks close to the other side of Danny, curiously watching the two of us in a way that almost makes me self-conscious of my actions. I almost remove my hand from Danny's, briefly even wondering if Hiro may be embarrassed or _ashamed_ of us, but Danny gives me a reassuring squeeze of the hand as if he somehow _knows_ what I'm thinking. I flush slightly and Danny rolls his eyes good heartily at my lack of a vocal answer.

Ellie stops suddenly before we even make it that far into the zoo. I know a few people passing by give as looks, but at this point, I doubt I could care any less. Ellie's eyes are focused directly on the big map they have to show all the habitats and before I can stop her, she's let go of my hand and runs straight to the sign, pressing her hands and face against it. I can hear Danny's laughter as I run after her frantically.

Her starry eyes are glued firmly on the little logo showing a tiny bat.

"Bats," she whispers in awe, before looking at me, ""Dashi- _bats!"_

She stresses the word firmly as she points to the little logo causing me to smile slightly. I kneel down at her level and very gently put my hand on her shoulder.

"We can go see the bats, I swear, but you have to stay close to me, okay sweetie?"

Her eyes take on a whole new gleam when I saw _I swear._ Her lips part slightly in an awe expression as she looks up at me with so much admiration.

"...King 'Dashi," she whispers slightly before she lets out an excited squeel.

I furrow my brows slightly at the name, briefly turning toward Danny. Despite apparently being in a deep conversation about ghosts with Hiro, Danny still seemed to have heard Ellie as he turns to be briefly with an _it's best not to ask_ expression paired with a small shrug. Huh. I guess maybe it's just something she calls people? I think she's called Danny, _King Daddy_ a few times if memory serves me right. Maybe it's part of her fantasy world? Kids tend to play make believe a lot after all.

Shrugging it off as just something a kid does, I gently take Ellie's hand with a smile, causing her to beam up at me. I smile at her as I lead her back to Danny and Hiro. Danny eyes Ellie and I with a grin before he takes my free hand in his own.

"I take it she wants to go see the bats," he comments and at my nod, he continues, "Figures."

* * *

Somehow or another, Danny and Hiro gets separated from Ellie and I. I'm almost sure that they did it on purpose- it sounds like something they'd do to mess with me or to sneak off to get ice cream or something. It's hard to be mad, however, when I have a little girl excitedly pulling me from habitat to habitat. She has a particular fondness of any creature of the night or anything that looks a bit on the creepy side- owls, ravens, crows, bats, and strangely enough _cockroaches._ I think I'll have _nightmares_ of those things for _years_ to come. But we have seen plenty of other things too. Giraffes, elephants, rhinos, hippos, tigers, and even polar bears and penguins.

It's a good thing I have my camera on me so I can at least photograph her at the different places and on different statues because I doubt that Danny wants to miss this. Though I have to admit, it's almost...nice… knowing that he trusts me this much with his daughter- to place so much trust in me to keep her safe and look after her is a lot for any parent. And it's no secret that Danny is more protective than most parents. It's almost concerning how protective he can be sometimes. It makes me wonder if something did happen or almost happen her that would make him that way, but I shake that thought out of my head rather easily, dismissing it as nothing more than just him being, well, _a parent._

I know he can contact me if he's really concerned about her- even if he hasn't exactly answered my texts about asking where he was- so I plan on taking her to the aquarium section next to check out some of the cool fish, stingrays, crabs, seals and dolphins.

"'Dashi," Ellie calls, "'Dashi! Look!"

I turn my attention back to the little girl as she excitedly climbs onto yet another statue. This time it's a statue of a gorilla. She sits proudly on it and bangs her chest just like a little gorilla would. I chuckle a bit and quickly snap a picture of her, before I speak up.

"Be careful, Ellie," I warn her.

She, the small like what- six year old at the most- girl, actually has the nerve to _scoff_ at me. As if _I_ , the perfectly capable somewhat adult, is _laughable._ As if she can't _possibly_ get hurt. I crinkle my nose a bit at the somewhat smug attitude of hers, but considering her father is Danny, I should have expected this. I dare to hope that in the future, she won't learn to use her cuteness to her advantage like her father.

I quickly head over to the statue and have to almost drag her down (safely) in order to get her off without hurting her. Man she's stubborn. Just like her dad. I'm in the middle of practically wrestling her off when I hear a familiar voice speak up.

"Pft, next time just offer her cookies or something and she'll come down."

I turn just in time to see Danny and Hiro standing there. Though Danny looks like he just ran a marathon since his voice is so breathy and his face is a bit red. But when I furrow my brows with concern, he just gives me a look that says to not question it. Then my attention goes to what both he and Hiro are holding. Both have ice cream cones in their hands- Hiro, however, is using his free hand to snap pictures of me on the statue. Danny is holding what seems to be two ice cream cones and a part of me pouts when I realize no one has a second ice cream cone for me. The sight of ice cream causes Ellie to light up and just like that, she's off the statue in a blink of an eye as I'm still struggling to keep my balance.

"Just like that," Hiro calls up at me, "...Perfect."

I see another flash go off from his phone and I just _know_ that he's going to be using it for blackmail in the future. I grumble a bit under my breath as I carefully make my off the statue. Ellie is already clinging to Danny as she happily eats up an ice cream cone that's given to her. Hiro is already half way through his and Danny is absently licking at the one in his hand to keep it from dripping too much.

I swallow a bit, my throat suddenly _craving_ some of the ice cream and I wonder if _maybe_ I can steal a few bites off of Hiro's. Seeing my look, Danny rolls his eyes with a small smile before I find myself being handing his ice cream cone.

"-Don't give me that look," Danny scolds me lightly, "I don't really like ice cream- this one is for you."

Hesitantly, I take a few testing bites of the ice cream. It doesn't taste suspicious so I doubt he's done anything to it- knowing Danny has a thing for pranks, it doesn't hurt to be cautious. Though my face tinges with shades of pink as I briefly think about the fact that just seconds ago, he was biting and sucking on this same ice cream cone. It's a bit juvenille- childish even- to think of the indirect kiss, but with Danny, even something as simple as _holding hands_ makes me flustered.

Hiro snorts and gives a sideways look to Danny,

"….Didn't you eat like three or four bites of it?"

Danny's face turns a bright red, stuttering a bit as he waves his hands around, trying to find the words before he finally just huffs and crosses his hands across his chest.

"-That was to keep it from melting."


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

An early start on my project seems to be just what I may need. Barely anyone else is in the lab- no one that I personally know so it may as well be completely empty. The sun is barely even rising. Tadashi, I assume, will be here soon with the breakfast and coffee he's promised me, but in the meantime it won't hurt to work on the portal. Ellie sits on a clean, nearby table, watching me closely as she swings her legs through the air over the edge.

I turn to give her a smile, but it ends up with me letting out a painful hiss at the movement. So much for my damn leg not bothering me. I thought it was perfectly healed. I thought maybe, just _maybe_ it'd be okay. It's not. _Damn it_. The pain shoots up and down my thigh, electrifying each and every nerve. It takes me a movement to even move to sit down, my movements stiff and my muscles protest loudly.

"Daddy," Ellie speaks up softly, her eyebrows furrowing in concern as she leans forward.

I plop down on the chair with another loud hiss of pain. I was stupid, so _damn_ stupid to think that it would just heal without any problems. There was a _fucking pencil_ in my leg. _In. My. Leg._ Of course there's going to be more complications. It's never as simple as just taking it out…. Now that I think about it, if I just slipped my hand into my thigh using intangibility it would have saved me a lot of trouble. And probably have caused this from happening in the first place because I'm pretty sure that it caused some sort of infection in my leg. That's really the only explanation I have for this. A damn infection.

I'm a Ghost King for crying out loud and some infection is causing me this much pain? I don't _get_ infections, it's scientifically nearly improbable for me…. Unless the pencil shavings are still stuck in my leg or seeping in some ectoplasm inside the muscle somewhere. Goddamn it.

"Daddy," Ellie whispers, her voice bordering on horror.

Cujo, who insists on following us everywhere like the good dog he is, rubs his head against my hand in a comforting manner, whining slightly. At least no one hears or notices the whines over my vocal complaints about the pain in my leg.

"I'm okay," I manage to say, grinding my teeth slightly.

Ellie frowns at my words, obviously not believing me as she hops down from the desk. She settles on a place on the floor beside my chair, right beside Cujo, as she gently grabs my free hand, squeezing it tightly. It's getting harder and harder to focus on her and the things around me, however, as the pain just steadily increases. I can feel my face heat up as my breathing gets a bit ragged and short. I clench my fist around the edge of the seat, possibly even denting it by accident.

"Holy shit," a familiar voice whispers.

I'm barely able to register the fact that Wasabi, Honey Lemon, GoGo, and Fred have entered the lab and are now by my side in an instant. Honey Lemon gently picks up Ellie, with only minor protesting from the girl, and tries to comfort her as well as get her a bit away from me for safety. Cujo looks back and forth between Honey Lemon, Ellie, and myself, obviously torn about who to go to and who to protect before I give him a discreet wave of the hand, causing him to go straight to Honey Lemon as he looks up at Ellie, watching closely. Fred is frantically whispering curses under his breath, his hands running through his hair as he freaks out. Wasabi is saying something that I don't even catch.

Their voices all blur together. A numbing pain starts to form in my chest, making breathing that much harder. It's a miracle I can even breathe at all. Everything just hits me at once. Dizziness. Sweating. Heart palpitations. Rapid heart beating. It occurs to me that this, whatever this is, is not just an infection caused from wooden shavings like that I thought. Whatever this is, it's much _worse._

Which means that it's likely I'll end up going to a hospital (possibly against my will knowing how stubborn my friends- and boyfriend- can be). As much as hospitals are nice and all, I'd rather avoid them if I can since my body isn't like normal humans.

"Danny," I manage to catch Wasabi's voice, but it sounds faint and disoriented as my sight begins to blur, "Stay with us, man. Don't you dare faint."

Knowing that it's important for me to stay awake, I force my eyes to stay open even if it pains me to do so. The pain in my chest is getting worse with each breath, constricting tightly. My lungs refuse to expand to allow me to actually breathe. But somehow, my some miracle, I'm able to at least process the fact that Tadashi is only now entering the lab. Upon seeing me, however, he drops the coffee and breakfast he's brought in pure shock, his eyes going wide as he gaps at me for a moment before rushing straight to my side.

"Danny, Danny, what's wrong? Can you hear me? Can you understand me? Are you able to lift your arms above your head or speak?"

All that comes from my mouth is breathy gasps. I can hear him and understand him, but doing as he asks is a bit more difficult. With some pain and struggling, I can, at the least, raise one arm over my head to at least signal that I can understand him. He breaths a very small sigh of relief at the motion, noting that I'm at least still with them…. But I won't be for long.

My vision gets a bit blurry and in what seems like just a second, everything goes black.

* * *

When I wake up, it's no surprise that I find myself in a hospital room. Even if the sight causes a sense of dread in my stomach. I can feel the oxygen mask around my face and the IV in my arm. At least I'm not hooked up to an EKG- a heart monitor would only cause even more problems. I'm barely even aware of the fact a certain invisible ghost dog is laying on the bed next to me, resting his head on my stomach with big puppy dog eyes.

All that's running through my mind is the doctors. Doctors are only going to ask questions- about the scars, about the abnormalities in my blood, my heart, and even my temperature. So many questions will only bring trouble and lots of it. My heart skips a beat just thinking about it.

How in the _hell_ am I going to get out of this one? Run away to New York? Disappear off the grid? Escape the hospital? Leave all my friends behind? Leave _Tadashi_ behind? Just to get away from the questions? To keep from becoming a lab experiment? Turning intangible would get me out of this in a jiffy, but at what cost?

But as much as it _pains_ me to admit it, I have to stay put. For now at least. If anything to at least get an idea of why I couldn't breathe in the first place. Though now, I feel a lot better. I can breathe easier already. My chest doesn't hurt nearly as much as it did. My lungs are expanding with ease and my leg, though twitching slightly, is already painless. Gotta wonder what the hell they did to me when I was out to make me recover this fast- though my guess is that whatever they gave me worked a _shit ton_ faster than it normally would because of my ghostly status.

I cough a bit, causing minor pain in my chest before I reach my hand up to my face to take off the now-unneeded mask. But before I can even touch it, a hand gently grabs my wrist. Turning my head gently, I see Tadashi. He's staring at me with concern and worry shining in his eyes, his brows furrowing with concern.

"Danny," he says gently, "You can't take it off yet. Doctor's orders…. Do you remember passing out?"

My eyes briefly look around the room, but to my slight confusion, there's no one else. No Ellie. No gang. No nurse or doctor. No one but me and Tadashi. Slowly, I answer his question with a slow nod causing his eyes to soften.

"Good, that's a good sign, I think," his voice is soft, "… Do you remember waking up before this?"

I woke up before? That's...kinda freaky to think I woke up before and don't remember it. Slowly, I shake my head in the negative causing Tadashi to swallow.

"Well, you did… The doctor explained to you that you had a pulmonary embolism- a blood cot. He said that it originated from your leg and then traveled to your lungs and heart. They did an ultrasound on your leg, but couldn't find any more potential clots that would travel to your lungs and gave you some warfarin and heparin to get rid of the current clot. Seems to be working, I guess."

There's uneasy feeling in my gut about the blood cot. If it came from my leg that Tadashi's saying then it's likely it was caused from my experiment or from the pencil- which wouldn't have happened if not for the experiment. This isn't just some natural thing. It's _my_ _fault_ that I'm here. Because of my _stupid_ scientific curiosity. A guilt shines in my eyes as I swallow thickly. It's all my fault. I have no one to blame but myself for landing in here.

Tadashi slowly brings my hand down away from the oxygen mask, clasping it tightly with concern as he continues.

"The hospital called the emergency number that's listed for you. Your sister took off from her conference to get here- she just arrived like five minutes ago, but told me to let you know to not worry about her conference because she said she'll just return to it when all of this is cleared through. She seems… nice, by the way, your sister, I mean. A bit… high-strung, maybe, but obviously really worried about you… I didn't expect her to have such orange hair though."

He lets out a small snort of amusement and I can't help but smile a bit. It makes me feel a bit guilty that Jazz had to leave her big conference to come here to check up on me, but I suppose if she can get back no problem then it's alright. Though it's nice to know that Tadashi at least likes my older sister. And even nicer to know that she's talking to the doctors. If anyone can help me get out of this mess, it's her. My sister has a way of tricking people into thinking that whatever they _think_ they know or saw about me- or rather what they saw in my blood tests, specifically- is false. More so, after years of practice, she can sneak her way through places like a _ghost_ and has at least enough practice hacking into things (due to Tucker's influence- he tried to teach me but to no avail) to change or fake whatever she needs to in whatever the doctors have put in the records.

"She's- uh- out in the hallway now, actually, talking to the doctor I think. Ellie is with Aunt Cass, Hiro and the others- we had to practically drag Aunt Cass out of the room. She kept screaming at the doctors…. But what about you? How are you doing?"

He squeezes my hand again, a bit more tightly this time as he leans forward from his spot beside the hospital bed. At least he's focused on my face. Though I can't _wait_ to see his flustering face whenever I get up from this bed- blood cot or not, I can feel myself getting better to the point where I'll be able to get up in no time- especially since I'm wearing a hospital gown. A _backless_ hospital gown.

I open my mouth to give him an answer, but I get cut off by my sister storming into the hospital room. Her eyes are blazing with a fury that I've only seen a few times. The time that I got my head stuck in a fishbowl when I was seven and she was babysitting me (thus getting her in trouble). The time that time she caught Dash and I making out in my bedroom- it was _before_ she knew we were dating. And there was also that time when her computer messed up and it destroyed an essay that she worked on for _all year_ and was like thirty percent of her grade- not to mention that it was due the next day. I still remember how I was geninuely concerned that she may shoot the computer with an ectogun.

Needless to say, _I do not like that look._

Her eyes briefly go to Tadashi, softening slightly,

"Tadashi, I need to speak with my brother. Alone, please."

Her voice leaves no room for any disagreements or arguments. Tadashi looks to me in concern for a moment, his eyes softening as he gives my hand one last squeeze before giving it a chaste kiss. He stands slowly, hesitantly, and leaves the room even more slowly, eying my sister and I with concern before he finally shakes his head and leaves completely, shutting the door behind him.

Nearly the second he's gone, I take off the oxygen mask and take a deep breath. Man is it good to have that thing off. Now I only have to get the IV and shit off of me. It's not like I need it. Jazz, however, still lingers by my bed with an angered expression on her face.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing, Danny," she snaps, "Do you realize just how lucky you are to even be _breathing?_ Do you know how _close_ that was? You had a _blood clot in your lung._ Half-ghost or not, that could have _killed_ you."

"Gee Jazz," I roll my eyes and lay my head against the pillow, "You make it sound like I planned all of this."

Okay. So it _is_ my fault that I'm here. _But_ I am _so_ not going to let Jazz know that.

" _Daniel Fenton_ don't you get smart with me," Jazz gives a swift swat to the back of my head, "You know exactly what I mean. The doctors made it quite clear that a blood clot in your leg should have caused problems _before_ it got to your lungs which means that you could have at least _tried_ to do something before it got this bad."

She lets out a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself as she plops down into the seat that Tadashi was just in. She continues to take more calming breaths, her head in her hands, before she finally looks up at me. Her voice gets soft.

"...Sorry for snapping at you. I just… You're my little brother, it's hard to see you like this. I mean, I've seen you in worse conditions, but that doesn't mean I get used to it. I'll _never_ get used to it…."

She absently grabs my hand, rubbing her thumb over the back of my hand.

"We were all pretty scared- I got here and nearly everyone seemed to be going nuts. That Cass woman was screaming at doctors. That little boy, Hiro, I think, was freaking out and kept muttering to himself before he eventually began _correcting_ doctors. Tadashi looked like he was going to cry- I found him in the hallway cradling Ellie, comforting her. Cass says that once that you went into the emergency room, he swept Ellie up and never let go. All of your other friends seemed just as scared for you too…."

She took a few more deep breaths. It pains me to know that so many people were concerned about me- _are_ concerned about me- with something that I could have avoided in the first place.

"….Wasabi- and I'm not even going to comment on that name- says that Tadashi never let go of you," Jazz explains softly, a soft smile on her face, "All the way until the nurses had to _peel_ him away from you to get you into the emergency room…. He's a good guy, Danny. I like him. Ellie likes him. So just, be careful with him, okay, lil brother? I'd hate to see you guys get hurt because of your stupid stubbornness or secret-keeping."

I crinkle my nose slightly at the mention of secret keeping, knowing full well that she's referring to me not telling him I'm half ghost. She lets go of my hand to pat my arm comfortingly before standing.

"Don't worry about the doctors," Jazz says to me, "Clockwork stopped by with Ghostwriter- he had no qualms about overshadowing a few doctors and nurses to get rid of all this fuss about your health abnormalities. I've already changed the documents and records. Now the only debate is when you'll get to go home."

I think about her words carefully, processing the idea that Clockwork came by without so much as saying hello and Ghostwriter being so close. They had to have come by when I woke up the first time (without me remembering it) or when I was asleep which would explain why I don't remember my ghost sense going off.

"...And what about the others," I ask her softly, "Aunt Cass, Hiro- my friends, Tadashi…. What about them and their memories?"

"That's your problem, lil brother," Jazz chimes, "But if it makes you feel better- due to Ghostwriter's influences, the doctor is now claiming that it wasn't a pulmonary embolism at all and instead something stress related so I think that they'll just brush it all off as the doctor's making a mistake with their first diagnosis."

She hums a bit to herself for a moment, but I can't help but look up at her with big, pleading eyes.

"And what about going home," I ask, "Did they say when I can get out of here?"

"Soon," Jazz promises, nodding her head, "But some of the nurses insist on you staying overnight. Though someone should be in soon to take out the IV and _officially_ get the oxygen mask off."

She scolds me lightly and I get the hint, taking the oxygen mask and putting it back on with a pout. She gives me a quick farewell before heading out, thus leaving me by myself. For like two seconds before a nurse comes rushing in with a plastered on smile. Her name tag reads _Holly_ and she's not exactly a spring chicken with her wrinkles, gray hair, and older frame. Yet she walks with the confidence of a young woman that just _knows_ just what her presence does to people.

She eyes my leg for a moment before her eyes go to the IV, the oxygen mask, and finally to the pleading look in my eyes that causes her expression to soften considerably.

"Oh don't you worry," she chimes gently, "You'll be home in no time. If it was up to me, you'd already be on your way out… But what can I say? Not many people want to listen to some old crow…. Come now, let me get those things off of you so can actually talk."

Very carefully, Nurse Holly turns off the oxygen and takes the mask off, gauging my reaction cautiously to make sure that I'm doing okay. I make a big show of taking large gasps of air, praising to the heavens with my hands gestured wide, causing the nurse to chuckle and swat her hands at the air.

"Oh stop it you. That nice boy warned me that you may be over dramatic, but I didn't think that it'd be this dramatic."

It doesn't take a genius to know that she's talking about Tadashi- it seems that he tends to get along well with everyone. The nurse continues to make small talk about this and that as she smiles at me, gently taking out the IV and giving me a pat on the shoulder before she leaves, causing me to sigh with relief.

From the sounds of things, it won't be long until I'm out of here without a hitch and no worries. Guess I was worried for no reason at all. Relaxing, I lay down on the bed with my head against the pillow. Closing my eyes, I take in a few deep breaths as I find myself drifting off to some much needed, _calming_ sleep. Yet just as I'm _nearly_ asleep, the door is thrown open and a familiar voice screams out.

"DADDY!"

I barely have a chance to react before I'm being tackled by a small form.

So much for getting sleep.

* * *

 _*pulmonary embolism: A blockage of blood flow in a lung artery. The blockage usually is caused by a blood clot that travels to the _lung_ from a vein in the leg. _


	32. Chapter Thirty-One

**Merry Christmas! I will update again tomorrow (Saturday) as usual, but I wanted to update today as a special Christmas present. I hope you all had wonderful holidays (no matter which one you celebrate).**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse sleeping under the same roof as Aunt Cass and Tadashi while I'm in my 'supposed recovery.' They call it recovery (as they still aren't sure about the doctor's diagnosis of it being stress related). I call it bullshit. I feel completely better and I doubt that anything is gonna happen again, especially if I avoid doing experiments- no matter how much I want to rip open my leg again to get a good look at what's really going on. Either way, it's like I'm a newborn baby or something with the way they're treating me.

I'm on a medical leave from the college- a doctor finally gave an excuse note after Aunt Cass' pestering. Which means that it should give me plenty of free time to spend with Ellie. Except it's not. Instead I'm restrained to just the cafe as Aunt Cass and Tadashi dot on me and cater to my every need. It's not nearly as good as it sounds. Man, I almost wish that Jazz hadn't left so that she could knock some sense into these people. Wait. Nevermind. If Jazz was here, she'd just be laughing at me the whole time which is no help at all.

With a small groan, I force myself out of the bed. I can hear Ellie's giggling voice downstairs, followed by Hiro and Aunt Cass's voices. It's nice to know that someone is having fun. I barely make it out of bed before Tadashi appears like some sort of _ghost._ Pft. Puns.

"Where do you think you're going," Tadashi dots on me, gently pushing me back to the bed, "You can't-"

His hands are having around as he tries to find the right words.

"-Can't go to the cafe to actually get some food," I offer with a raised eyebrow, causing him to flush.

His cheeks get all puffy as he huffs,

"-You can get some food, but you're not going down to the cafe. I may not be sure what was wrong with you, but I'm not going to let it happen again."

For a moment, my expression softens. I consider telling him that I'll be okay. That it won't happen again because I won't let. That I hate to make even worry. Another part of me just wants to hug him, bring him close, and let our auras absorb into each other endlessly. But then my mischievous side sparks up, causing a small smirk on my face. I back a bit away from Tadashi, giving him a small shrug,

"Well I guess you give me no choice, Dashi~"

He raises an eyebrow, eying me cautiously. But before he can react, I'm already darting past him and down the stairs straight to the cafe. I don't even have to use my above-average speed to get ahead of him, laughing as I do so since I can hear his cursing echoing behind me as he scrambles to run after me. Heh. He'll never catch me _alive._ I practically glide down the steps into the cafe, nearly running into Aunt Cass as she rears back with a startled expression on her face, a tray of dirty plates and coffee mugs in her hand.

Her shock turns into a small scolding expression, ready to give me a lecture for being out of bed, but as she hears Tadashi running down the stairs frantically calling my name and looks to me, noticing the smile on my face, she just shakes her head with amusement before waving me off. Thank God for Aunt Cass. I give her a small, two-finger salute as a thank you and continue on my run, heading straight for the doors of the cafe with the hopes of making it to freedom. I'll probably head to the Waffle House or the gym- I feel like I could use some exercise after all of this.

At the rate of my speed, I may be able to make it out of the cafe completely. Except there's two things I didn't account for. One being my daughter. The other being Hiro. The second Ellie spots me heading toward the door, her eyes light up as she lets out a cry of _Daddy_. Hiro has a similar reaction, minus the cheer, as he grins ear to ear and after sharing a look with Ellie, they both jump from their spots and run straight for me. Hiro does surprisingly well catching up to Ellie, though my little girl is only a few unnoticeable centimeters off the ground as she flies through the area.

My eyes widen slightly as my body tenses. If not for my firm standing and preparing myself for this, I would have been knocked completely to the ground by the little devils. Hiro jumps onto my back with a laugh, wrapping his hands around my neck and his legs around my waist as if it's the easiest thing in the world. Ellie is clinging to my leg with a firm grip, her arms tightly wounding up my leg as her own little legs wrap around my ankle and her little tush rests on my foot. She looks up to me with a goofy expression on her face, making it clear she's not going anywhere.

"I'll just take you two with me then~," my voice is a bit sing-song as I continue walking as if I don't have the two extra weights.

My walking is a bit awkward, causing me to be a bit slower as I'm careful to not hurt Ellie or drop Hiro. But I'm almost to the door when I hear Tadashi's voice call out to me again.

"S-Stop," he wheezes, his voice breathy and raspy.

I turn carefully, swinging my leg high and exaggerated, causing Ellie to giggle as she finds herself getting waved around like a ragdoll. Tadashi stands at the end of the staircase, his face is tinged with pink and he's wheezing heavily as he hunches over. He waves off Aunt Cass when she comes over to him in concern, but still tries to speak to me as he catches his breath.

"….Danny, just… please," he can't even form complete sentences, yet I know what he means.

I give him a cheeky smile,

"Gee, 'Dashi, I _would_ go up to the room, but I have these weird _growths..."_

Hiro snorts at the joke and Ellie giggles obliviously as I gesture with my free hand toward Hiro and herself, my grin never wavering. Tadashi eyes the sight before him with amusement before cracking a small smile.

"I guess we'll just have to _surgically_ remove them," Tadsahi suggests jokingly as he makes his way over to me.

A small light bulb goes off in my head, getting an idea on just how I can remove them. Hiro and Ellie exchange slightly confused looks- though for different reasons. Ellie isn't sure what _surgically_ means while Hiro just isn't sure what we plan on doing. Yet one shared look with Tadashi tells me we have the same idea running through our minds. Before Hiro can get away, Tadashi is already behind me tickling his sides causing Hiro to yelp and let go. I reach down and gently tickle Ellie, who giggles and laughs loudly as she lets go with a big grin on her face.

I can still hear Hiro's protests coming from behind me and I figure that Tadashi is holding his brother tightly to keep him from falling as Hiro lets go of me. I pick up Ellie with ease as she continues to just giggle. I can see Aunt Cass watching us with a smile on her face, chuckling a bit to herself as she stands behind the counter. Tadashi and I both begin swinging the small demons around, barely dodging each other as we do so, causing the cafe to be filled with laughs and giggles from the teen and girl.

"Alright, I think that's enough," Tadashi huffs a bit, losing his breath as he sets Hiro down with a forlorn expression on his face, "…. Great, I think I'm getting old."

He pops his back with a wince before rubbing the area behind his neck, causing me to laugh slightly as I set down Ellie. My little girl giggles before running off toward Aunt Cass, letting out a few stray pleads about cookies that cause Hiro to follow her in the hopes of getting some cookies himself. I clasp Tadashi on the shoulder with a fond expression on my face,

"Don't worry, 'Dashi, you look great for your age!"

I wink at him teasingly, causing him to flush as he mutters something about me being too witty and sarcastic for my own good. I just continue to give him a cheeky grin. He sighs a bit at my behavior, shaking his head before he just gives me a slightly amused look that tells me that my jokes aren't in vain.

"And," I continue, "Since I'm obviously doing better, what do you say about going to the gym or the waffle house? Or maybe to the movies?"

Tadashi thinks it over for a moment, his eyebrow furrowing as he weighs the pros and cons. I hope he says yes, I hope to _God_ he says we can go out. I can't stand being couped up in here any longer. I need to get out. I need to explore. I need to do _something_. After what seems like forever, he finally looks up to me with a small, _fine I give up_ smile.

"Okay… How about we go see _The Martian_?"

My eyes light up like a thousand suns at the mention of the movie. The book, which inspired the new movie, has always been one of my favorite books. It has humor, space, good characters, realism, and did I mention _space?_ It's everything a funny little space nerd could want. At the sight of my expression, Tadashi lets out a booming laugh,

"I take that as a yes then?"

"More like, _hell yes._ "


	33. Chapter Thirty-Two

**The good news is that the movie events will be starting _really_ soon. **

**I do not own nor claim anything Marvel- including both Big Hero Six _and_ Captain America/Winter Solider (aka Bucky/James). **

**~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO**

* * *

 _ **A Few Weeks Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

The days go by too quickly. It seems like there's never enough time in the world to spend with my precious little girl and before I know it, it's time for her to leave. It practically breaks my heart seeing my precious baby leave and I can only hope that she'll be back soon. Yet for now, as I wait in the cafe for Jazz to show up- she's already texted me that she's landed and I replied back with directions to the cafe- I plan on enjoying every last second I have with my girl.

"Everything packed," I lean down to Ellie's level with a firm look on my face, and she nods at my question causing me to narrow my eyes, "...Are you sure?"

She hesitates for a moment before nodding. A small little suitcase stands on its wheels behind her- the bright pink color contrasts with the little ghost and bat stickers. I swear that there's even a few spider web stickers on there too. Her confident answers causes a small smile on my face. My hands are folded behind my back, concealing a certain little _something_ that my princess forgot to pack- considering she did all the packing herself, she did a pretty good job since this is the only thing I found that she forgot.

"Then I wonder just what this is doing," my voice turns a bit sing-song as I reveal the little stuffed spider that I've been hiding.

Her eyes light up with wonder before she snatches the spider up and hugs it close to her chest. As strange at it is, and it _is_ pretty strange seeing a little girl wearing a pink tutu holding a black slightly creepy stuffed spider, it's… _cute._ Adorable even. She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek as a thank you, causing me to smile fondly before Aunt Cass calls out to her to signal that the cookies are done baking. She runs off in a second, heading straight for the counter and leaving me at an empty table with her suitcase.

I have to hand it to Aunt Cass- she's done so well with Ellie. Though not as well as Tadashi. It will never cease to amaze me how fast Ellie began to cling to him and bond with him. He handled everything well enough to the point where I can see how hard he's trying to get to know her. Even Hiro is trying too. Just the other day I saw Hiro showing Ellie some of his little robots- she thought they were fascinating and cute. I think this whole experience here is something that is bringing her out of her shell to become more social.

"Do I even want to ask about the spider," Tadashi chimes in amusement as he joins me at the table, eying Ellie at the counter.

I shrug slightly,

"It was the first, and only thing, Sam ever gave her. She's never let it go since."

Tadashi hums in understanding, the amusement fading slightly in his eyes at the solemn answer. I briefly glance to Hiro, whose joined Ellie at the counter. I swear that not two seconds ago that kid was in the garage. But I suppose what Aunt Cass said is true. Nothing summons kids faster than cookies. I shake my head slightly before turning my attention back to Tadashi, who looks a bit forlorn causing me to furrow my brows as I place my hand over his.

"Hey, you okay 'Dashi?"

He doesn't answer my at first before finally, he speaks up softly.

"...Do you miss her," he asks, flushing slightly as he realizes what he's said, "I mean- I'm just curious and I get that you two were close so I just- God, I'm sorry."

I chuckle slightly, even if the amusement doesn't reach my eyes. I squeeze his hand a bit to let him know that it's okay as I think over the question briefly. Do I miss Sam? Not too long ago, the mere thought of her would send me into a series of flashbacks and panic. Just like Ai did. But now, it's different. I'm not sure what's changed. If I changed. Or if maybe my heart's changed. But either way, it doesn't hurt as much. The pain is still there, but it's numbed. Like a dull throb. Like a painful memory, but not a painful stab to the heart. I think it helps that to try to remember her as my best friend rather than Ellie's almost nonexistent mother/cheating ex-girlfriend.

"Sometimes," I answer honestly, my voice a bit soft and reminiscing, a forced grin on my face, "It's… hard. Hard to think about, hard to remember, hard to even get my thoughts and feelings straight."

"And what feelings are you having? What is your heart telling you," Tadashi asks quietly, gently grazing his thumb across my hand.

Well, my heart tells me a lot of things lately. It tells me, _fuck your normal human health standards._ That human food causes some bad heart burn. That Sam is gone. That Dash is gone. That I _really_ like Tadashi to the point where I feel like we're closer than ever, especially as our auras interlock in a way that makes my shiver and sends jolts of electricity down my spine.

"It tells me that I have a cute-ass boyfriend," I say, somewhat honesty with a cheeky grin on my face.

He flushes at my words and swats my hand away from his with an interesting look on his face. Thankfully, I'm saved from the questioning by my older sister strutting into the cafe with a large grin on her face. My face lights up at the sight of my sister, beaming at her as I practically jump from my seat. From the corner of my eyes, I see Ellie jump up and prepare to run to my sister as well.

However, there's just one thing that stops the both of us in our tracks. Or rather _someone._ A tall man enters with my sister, causing me to tense as I square my shoulders. He stands a few good inches taller than my sister, making him above six feet, but he seems even taller with his shoulders back and his head held high. His dark hair seems a bit mangled and a bit messy, scraping just above his shoulders. My attention briefly goes to his arm. Even though he's wearing a long sleeved hoodie, I can faintly hear the creaking of metal coming from him and a small glint of shine under that sleeve. A prosthetic maybe?

He walks like a trained solider, with the grace and ease that only comes from experience. A stance that makes it clear he's ready to fight if someone makes one wrong move.

His eyes scan the room carefully, calculating everything in a way that tells me he's not just some Average Joe. His eyes linger on me the most with a brief look of confusion. I meet his gaze evenly, noticing the clouded look in his eyes that speak volumes of whatever horrors he's faced. I wonder if the same look is reflected in my own eyes. He gives me a small incline of his head, respectfully and I return the gesture.

The stranger looks to my sister, as if asking her what he should do. Jazz just gives him a reassuring smile and a small nod of the head, causing him to relax instantly. His shoulders go slack with a small hunch and he releases a sigh of relief. My eyes narrow slightly, unsure of who exactly he is or what he is to my sister, and my eyes go to her for answers. Though she just keeps a grin on her face.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Tadashi, Hiro and Aunt Cass exchange unsure looks between each other as Ellie ducks behind Tadashi's legs for safety from the stranger.

"Danny," Jazz rolls her eyes as she sees that I'm still tense, "No need to get so overworked… This is James, my boyfriend."

She gestures her hand vaguely toward the man, a caring gaze on her face as she glances slightly toward him. _James._ Ah. So _this_ is her mysterious boyfriend. I have to admit, I expected some shy, maybe dorky, lanky man with glasses. Not some experienced veteran. After a second of hesitation, James steps forward with an outstretched hand. I notice that it's not the same hand that the metal shine came from.

"Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes," he introduces himself, pronouncing his words carefully as if he doesn't know his own name, "But my friends call me Bucky."

Ah. So he is a veteran then. You don't get a title like Sergeant without some time in the field. Lots of time in the field, that is. It _would_ explain the hooded, dark look in his eyes, but there's something else there akin to guilt that just doesn't sit well with that explanation. I eye his hand carefully before I finally claps his hand in my own. He has quite a strong grip for a human- clenching my hand firm enough that I can't help but squeeze back as if to say _hey I'm strong too._

"Danny Fenton," I greet firmly, "Back there is my boyfriend, Tadashi, his aunt Cass and little brother Hiro… Ellie, come here."

I motion for Ellie to step forward, turning my back slightly to James (or rather Bucky) to look to her with an encouraging expression. She hesitates for a moment, eying the stranger before looking back and forth between Tadashi and I. Tadashi gives her a reassuring smile and a small push on her back to edge her forward. After a second, she finally steps forward, clutching her stuffed animal tightly to her chest as she all but runs over to me and jumps into my arms.

I smile and laugh a bit, spinning her around to adjust my grip on her so I can hold her close before I turn my attention back to James. He eyes Ellie with a soft expression on his face, though he seems a bit unsure of himself as if expects her to scream or cry or do _something_.

"This is my daughter, Ellie," I introduce, a big fatherly grin on my face, "Ellie, this is your Aunt Jazzy's boyfriend, why don't you say hi?"

She mouths the word _boyfriend_ carefully to herself, musing it over with a thoughtful expression on her face before she looks up to James with a shy smile on her face. She gives him a shy, small wave that he hesitantly returns with a strained expression on his face.

"Did you have fun with your daddy," Jazz coos at Ellie, causing her to giggle and shyly bury her face into my chest.

"She had tons of fun, didn't you sweetie," I coo, "Tadashi and I even took her to the zoo~"

I smile at the memory of our zoo trip and even Hiro brightens up at the mention of it. He and I had a fun time together while Ellie was off with Tadashi. We saw plenty of creatures- though the observatory and aquarium were our favorite places to visit. We had lots of fun, took plenty of pictures, and pissed off a few of the zookeepers since we didn't exactly follow the rules. What can I say? Some animals are just so cute, you can't help but want to feed them or touch them. Though I did stop Hiro from petting some of the more dangerous animals.

At the mention of the trip, Tadashi takes a step forward, looking carefully between James and Jazz.

"We got plenty of pictures," Tadashi offers, unsure if he's intruding, "I can send them to you if you want…."

"Could you," Jazz beams, "That'd be great! I think you already have my number, so just feel free to send them whenever…. But for now, I have a cutie-pootie I need to take care of!"

She stretches her arms out toward Ellie with a childish grin on her face. Ellie giggles and all but jumps from my arms and into Jazz's waiting embrace, causing me to shake my head as my sister coos and fawns over her, squeezing her tight enough that I'm half-way expecting Ellie to _phase_ out of her grasp. I watch them fondly for a moment before sparing a stray glance toward James, only to find him eying me up and down cautiously. Despite our friendly greeting, he still seems to be expecting me to turn into a threat.

"Don't worry, man," I give him a goofy grin and clasp his shoulder, causing him to tense, "I don't bite."

He gives me a weak smile at that, relaxing slightly as he shakes his head,

"It's… It's not that," his voice is a bit rough around the edges and soft, "You just… remind me of someone…. I have a friend who used to be a bit on the short side. Used to pack newspapers in his shoes when we were kids to make himself taller…."

His eyes gleam as he reminisces about the memories, continuing when he sees that I'm not going to interrupt him…. Even if he (indirectly) called me short.

"…. Guy had a golden heart- still does- and did everything he could to protect others, even if he's a lot bigger now…"

It occurs to me that I do give off a protecting aura- something I can't help, especially when it comes to being around the people I care about. I'm just a bit surprised that he's that tuned in on his environment that he picked up considering he seems a bit… out of it. As if he's only half-way here, half-way somewhere else. James takes a deep breath and shakes his head, offering me a friendly smile,

"Sorry, I didn't mean to- I just…. I'll take care of your sister. And your daughter. I promise."

I give a thankful smile at his words and we share a brief, friendly handshake. Is this guy dangerous? Yes. I can see it in his eyes. The way he stands. How he's looking for any signs of a threat. The movement of his hands. Is he dangerous to Jazz and Ellie? No. Not by far. He gives fond, caring looks to my sister that tells me he's never going to hurt her.

"I didn't think you wouldn't," I say honestly and I can see relief and a bit of surprise briefly flash across his face, "Take care, James."

He mumbles a small _you too_ before I hand off my daughter's luggage to him and before I know it, Jazz is heading out after a fond farewell and a quick kiss with Ellie and James in tow. I end up watching the door a moment, even after they leave, not even noticing that Hiro and Tadashi have come to stand rigt next to me until they begin to speak.

"He seems like a good guy," Tadashi offers, clasping me on the shoulder, "They'll be okay."

Yeah. I hope so.


	34. Chapter Thirty-Three

**Only like one or two more chapters before the movie events begin so bare with me. I know it's been long but it's really important for them to know and trust each other first before the movie events (with a few twists) begin. And who knows? Maybe Callaghan will have a partner in crime~**

 **~CWA**

 **(P.S. Updating this as a sort of New Year's treat, will update again on Saturday as usual too, big thanks to The Skeleton Girl whose kept me very amused with their constant reviews)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE**

* * *

 _ **A Week Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I can't help but smile to myself a bit as I get to work on the portal. The sleeves of my leather jacket have been rolled up slightly, but not rolled up enough to reveal any scars I may have on my arms. A concentrated gleam enters my eyes as I work hard on my project. At the rate I've been working on it, I know that I'm already ahead of schedule so it should actually be done by the end of next year, but considering that most projects take a bit more time than that (the point of the college was to work on two to four projects during the eight year robotics course), I'm actually doing pretty good.

A small impressed whistle causes me to turn my attention away from the portal only to be met with the sight of Professor Callaghan. To be entirely honest, the man has always put me on edge. There's something about him that I can't place- a flux in his aura that doesn't seem quite right, the few comments he makes about his daughter (whom he really never speaks of aside from the comments), the foreign, implacable gleam in his eyes that contradicts the grin on his face. And there's something about the way he eyes the portal that makes me uneasy like he has some purpose for it or is interested in it in a way that's not meant for its actual purpose.

"Good morning, Professor," I greet warmly, forcing a grin onto my face as I shove down the paranoia, "It's coming along pretty great, isn't it? Should be done by the beginning of next year, hopefully, or the end of next year at the latest."

"I can't wait to see what it'll do when you're finished," Professor Callaghan swears, "You show a lot of promise, Mr. Fenton, and it's warming to see you grow into that potential with such an ambitious project…. But the real question in the end is if it all this work is going to pay off? Will this actually work?"

His eyes harden slightly causing me to stand at attention, my jaw tensing as my shoulders square. I lift my head a bit and meet his gaze easily, not backing down.

"It will work, Professor, I know it will and _I'll_ have a functioning portal to the Ghost Zone up and running in no time…."

I see the Professor eye the portal in a way that makes my stomach turn. It reminds me of the way the Guys in White would eye my parents' inventions. Mom even used to say that with every great invention comes someone who wants to take it away. I pray that Professor Callaghan isn't that person, but despite everyone seemingly loving him, I can't get rid of that gut feeling that tells me that there is something bad about him. Maybe not evil, but just bad. As if he's up to something.

"Ghost Zone," he repeats a bit to himself, "I wonder if there's any other dimensions that it will be able to go to..."

"With all due respect sir," I cut in, "That's not possible. At least not from this portal. From the way I've wired it, built it, programmed it, there's only two things that this portal _absolutely has to do._ That's power on pure ectoplasm and go to the Ghost Zone. From the Ghost Zone, it's theoretically possible to go another dimension, but I wouldn't recommend it- you could end up in a world of dinosaurs or one without oxygen and that's never a good thing."

Professor Callaghan clicks his tongues at my word, an almost disappointed look in his eyes appears briefly before his expression changes. He turns to me with a small smile as he dips his head,

"Ah, well I wish you the best of luck, Mr. Fenton."

"Thank you, sir," I dip my head in reply, but as he turns to leave, I call out to him, "Oh and Professor?"

He stops briefly to turn around to face me. Normally, I would leave this part out and not even mention it, but the way he eyed the portal unnerves me to the point where I need to make sure he knows that he will not be getting his hands on this portal. Not if I have anything to say about it.

"-There's a passcode on the portal too," I give him a cheery grin as if it's good news for him, "It's a long, tricky one to keep out anyone who may try to sabotage it. Even all my notes and blueprints for it are locked up tightly in a secret place."

His smile falters slightly as he furrows brow before he tells me that it's a great idea (though his voice is rather strained) and leaves the lab. I watch him leave with a satisfied grin on my face, knowing that I've destroyed any hopes he may or may not have had about the portal being something he can get his paws on. In reality, there is a passcode. But it's not a long, tricky one- it's _Fentonworks_ along with a hand-print scanner and voice recognition that I've already installed into the portal to keep anyone from getting into its programming or wiring. Don't even get me started on what may happen if another ghost, or God forbid one of my enemies, tries to open or steal it. When it's actually up and running, it'll even be more efficient at security.

And unlike the original portal, this one's 'on button' is not on the inside.

* * *

"I'm not saying Professor Callaghan is a bad guy," I insist, "Just that he gives me the creeps and it's unsettling the way he looks at my portal."

I sit on the bean bag chair inside of the garage with Hiro and Tadashi, stretching my arms behind my head in a way that flexed my muscles. I wink at Tadashi when I see that he's momentarily staring at the muscles you can see through my jacket causing him to flush slightly. The others are with us as well. Honey Lemon. GoGo. Fred. Wasabi. Everyone decided that a break from our projects would be a good idea and somehow we flocked to the garage instead of inside the cafe- granted, that was because the cafe was insanely crowded today and no one wants to squeeze into a much too small table.

Somehow or another, the conversation started to wander toward Callaghan. I'm not sure who began it. But whoever did has opened a huge can of worms between everyone. Nervous looks are exchanged. A few whispers stretch across the room. Everyone becomes tense and unsure of themselves.

"He's not creepy," Tadashi insists, "Just interested."

"-But Danny has a point," Honey Lemon points out, "Callaghan has never been this interested in someone's project before- not to the point where he looks like he's gonna snatch it away right from under Danny's nose. It's not normal."

"He's just trying to encourage the idea that it's not impossible," Tadashi counteracts, "To make Danny more confident."

GoGo pops her bubble gum with a dry look on her face, jabbing her thumb toward me,

"Have you seen him, lately? He doesn't exactly need an ego boost."

"Amen to that," I praise GoGo, agreeing with her with a hearty cheer and a raised fist in a _here, here_ gesture.

GoGo rolls her eyes at me slightly, plopping down on the bean bag chair with me. She gives me a brief, _try and stop me from sitting here, I dare you._ I shift slightly in my seat to make more room for her, flushing slightly. Personally, I'd rather it be Tadashi sitting next to me. But _nooo_ he's sitting in his own little recliner with Hiro casually resting on its armrest.

Considering it's not exactly a large garage, we don't have that many seats to spare. Wasabi's larger frame takes up a good portion of the couch and Honey Lemon has to sit next to him with her knees to her chest because she's too tall. Fred is lounging with them, stretched across their laps with his head resting against the arm rest. It's strange with all of us sitting like this, but there's some part of it that just feels natural.

"Maybe he's expanding his horizons toward dimensional theory," Honey Lemon speaks up softly and unsure of herself, "Maybe he just wants to try something new and since Danny's portal is a fresh idea that deals with that, Callaghan can't help but be interested."

Tadashi nods, pleased that someone is taking his side on the matter. I, however, just scowl slightly.

"It's more than that," I continue, "He seemed disappointed to learn I had security on my blueprints and on the portal. More so when I made it clear it won't be going anywhere else but the Zone."

"But," Tadashi argues lightly, "The disappoint could be because it has potential to be more than just a ghost portal."

"He's got a point there," Wasabi chimes in, taking a large bite of pizza.

I roll my eyes slightly and adjust my seat more, sending a brief annoyed look to GoGo who seems perfectly fine as she spreads out across my lap. Tadashi sends a brief annoyed look toward her as well, but she just pops her bubble gum at him in reply, signaling she really could care less because she's comfortable. I swear GoGo is a mix between being my sister (a nonblood relation variety) and an attention seeking cat. And just like with a cat, it's best to accept your fate. Sighing, I start petting her head, causing her to shift with a content look on her face, as I look to Tadashi.

"Maybe, but he was so interested in my theoretical papers about dimensional theory that I sent in with my admission- more so than with my actual project that I sent in."

"Speaking of," Fred turns to me with a grin on his face, "What project did you make to get in? You never did tell us."

I wave my hand in the air slightly in a nonchalant manner,

"Nothing big- just this device that I like to call the X-Scan. With a simple scan- no medications, no x-ray machines, no pain, just one simple scan that someone can do at their house and you could have a total and complete summary of brain activity as well as a scan of the actual brain. It takes a more medical purpose and helps detect tumors and cancers a lot faster with more ease. Not to mention the help it'll be to doctors and paramedics with brain-related injuries."

Tadashi makes a thoughtful expression on his face, mumbling a bit to himself and I can see the ideas begin to form in his mind at how he can use it for Baymax. He doesn't need to voice it for me to know what his plans are. At this point in our relationship, I just _know_ what he's thinking. Then again, it's not like he's really subtle about it either. I hear Hiro mutter something about Tadashi and I being meant to be before we even met. Wasabi quirks an eyebrow as I explain my project,

"Really? _You_ made some sort of super scanner?"

"Ohhh do you think it could like scan the whole city or something," Fred chimes in with an excited grin on his face, causing me to snort.

"Only if you made some adjustments on it and somehow got it like _miles_ above the city," I briefly say to Fred before Wasabi's comment processes in my brain causing me to turn to him, "And what do you mean? What's so surprising about me building a super scanner?"

"More like you building something that's more… hospital in nature," Honey Lemon explains carefully, slowly pronouncing her words, causing me to crinkle my nose.

GoGo stretches, similar to that of a cat, before she curls back into my lap with a tired, slightly bored expression on her face. I continue to stroke her head, not even questioning the fact that she seems to like it. Though my hand stops, hovering her head slightly, as I see Tadashi giving her and I some sort of glare. I flush slightly and carefully place my hand away where it's not touching GoGo, causing Tadashi to give some sort of smug look in GoGo's direction. She just crinkles her nose and pops her bubble gum in annoyance, shifting her place on my lap once again with a huff.

"It was originally for spiritual purposes," I explain, "-possessions and recognizing people with precognition abilities mostly. The medical stuff is mostly just a secondary purpose."

"See now _that_ sounds like you," Wasabi waves his hand a bit accusingly toward me and Hiro snorts, hiding a smile behind his hand.

Tadashi's face drops at the mention of the scanner's true purpose,

" _Possessions,_ really Danny?"

"It comes in handy more than you think," I defend, "I mean there are signs of possession that most people can spot if you know them- red eyes, different voice, acting strangely, etc. Granted, that's _ghostly possession._ Demonic possession is a whole other topic all together."

Fred's soaking all of this in with a thoughtful expression on his face and a pen in hand. I almost sigh when he begins writing notes on his hand and arm due to a lack of nearby paper. He looks to me to continue, but I give him a _really_ look. From the corner of my eyes I see Honey Lemon and Wasabi giving him similar looks that causes Fred to just give us a cheeky, excited grin.

"It's a good thing to know," Fred stresses, "How else are we supposed to know that someone is possessed? What if one of _us_ ever get possessed and start doing bad crap? We need to know this stuff, people!"

Pft. If a ghost was ever dumb enough to possess any of them when I'm around. Any ghost that does knows that they will be getting an ass-kick of a lifetime for even possessing someone with ill intent…. Even more so for that someone that being one of my friends.

Honey Lemon looks at Fred carefully and hesitantly, unsure how to respond to his comment, but eventually she just closes her mouth deciding that she really doesn't have anything to say to that. Wasabi shakes his head, muttering something about me being a bad influence on Fred as GoGo moves from my lap just briefly enough to give Fred a quick _slap_ to the back of the head with a _'we're not going to_ _get_ _possessed, dumbass'_ before returning to the comforts of my lap.

Hiro and Tadashi are the only ones to only be paying only half-attention to the conversation as they mutter to themselves quietly. Hiro seems a bit annoyed at his brother and Tadashi has this look on his face like he just had the best idea in the world. I quirk an eyebrow at them and shift myself out of from under GoGo, causing her flip me the bird as she readjusts herself. With the brothers so absorbed into their conversation, they don't even realize that I've made my way to them.

The others watch in a mix of confusion and amusement as I give a large, shit-eating grin and put my face right beside Tadashi's. Hiro is the first to spot me and the two fingers that are at my mouth, causing his eyes to widen as he quickly covers his ears as I give a loud, shrill whistle that startles Tadashi, causing him to yelp as he falls out of the recliner. I catch him with ease, dipping him gracefully with a cheeky grin on my face.

"So when's the wedding," GoGo chimes in teasingly, causing Tadashi and I to both go red before we quickly part ways.

Leave it to GoGo to use my own plan against me.


	35. Chapter Thirty-Four

**Sorry I forgot to update yesterday. Hope you enjoy this chapter, please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Tadashi had the great idea of combining my X-Scanner with Baymax. He explained what a great idea it would be, claiming that it was exactly what he needed to finish Baymax since the scanner he built himself kept failing and causing malfunctions (and a few minor explosions). With my scanner, he shoulder be about to stop Baymax from failing- creating a sucessful 'nurse bot' as I've dubbed it. Of course, he already said that the credit for the scanner would go to me while the rights to Baymax would remain his. Something I'm completely okay with. It's not exactly like I want to be known for a robot nurse when I specialize in the paranormal/supernatural.

Tadashi hovers over me as we work in his more private lab on Baymax. I can see the nervousness on his face from the corner of my eyes as he eagerly waits to see if it's going to work. He lingers right over my shoulder, staring at my every move, causing my eye to twitch before I finally just stop working all together.

"'Dashi, I understand you're nervous, but you're going to make me nervous if you keep hovering," I say gently, causing him to pout.

"But _Danny,_ this is so _exciting_. Do you realize if we get Baymax working just what it can mean for people? How many lives can be saved? How many illnesses can be noticed before they turn worse?"

He looks up at me with wide, pleading eyes that cause my expression to soften.

"...I get it," I say softly, leaning in briefly to plant a kiss on temple, "but we have to take it one step at a time. Fix the robot first, _then_ we'll save the world."

He flushes slightly, tugging the cap down to hide his face, mumbling a bit to himself. When he looks up at me, I give him a cheeky, but reassuring smile that causes him to sigh as he takes a few steps back.

"Better," he asks, waving his hands around.

A little light bulb goes off in my head. We've been working for at least four hours now and I'm in desperate need of a laugh. So it's time to play _how far can I get Tadashi to go before he realizes I'm messing him?_ I fight down the shit-eating grin that's threatening to appear- if I smile, he's going to know that something's up. I wave my hand a bit dismissively,

"Farther….. Farther….. Farther…."

Tadashi takes a few steps back each time and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. He's right up against the window, an annoyed look on his face as he gestures his hands around as if to say _am I far enough yet?_ I turn my head briefly to hide the snort of laughter that bubbles up before turning back to him with a straight face. Oh man, I can't believe he's actually listening to me.

"...Yeah, 'Dashi' I need you to go _just a bit_ _farther."_

He looks at me in disbelief, his eyes wide as he mumbles a bit to himself, briefly looking outside the window. You can't tell me he's actually _considering_ it? Or trying some way to get father? I let out a few snorts of laughter, barely able to contain myself as I take a step forward, preparing myself to tell him that I was just kidding with him. Yet as he turns to face me, he gives me a shrug,

"Okay."

My eyes go wide and I practically _fly_ to the window as he just turns and jumps gracefully out of it. My heart stops beating for a moment as it leaps to my throat. _Oh God, that idiot. Oh shit. He better live through this…. I'm gonna kill him. Goddamn it, why did I have to open my big mouth? Tadashi…_ Without even looking or thinking, I make a graceful leap out of the window and prepare myself to head after him….

Only instead of hitting air, I've landed on a balcony on the floor below us. I stand a bit confused, my eyebrows furrowing. My core is pounding in my chest and I still feel like I can't breathe even if I wanted to. The adrenaline is pumping through my veins as I register that if I've landed on this rather huge balcony that's barely even a five to six feet from our window…. Then Tadashi is here too.

My eyes go to his instantly. He stands just a few inches from me with a shocked expression on his face. I think he's saying something to me, but I don't hear him over my own relief. I scoop him up in my arms, picking up a good few inches off the ground with ease in a tight, bear hug, squeezing him tightly.

"Thank God, you're okay- you scared the shit out of me Tadashi! Just what were you thinking? You can't just do something like that!"

I bury my face into his chest as I hug him tightly, seeking relief in the fact that I hear his heart beat against my ear. I can feel the warmth radiating off of him. I can feel his chest rising and falling with each rapid breath. _Thank God, he's okay._ He's okay. He's alive. He's here. He's fine…. He's…. He's dead. He's absolutely dead. Just what was he thinking jumping out of a window like that? Even if there's a balcony, he could have landed wrong and hit his head. He could have twisted his ankle. He could have seriously gotten hurt.

I let him go out of the hug to land a few stray punches to his shoulder- I punch easily enough to not hurt him, but hard enough to let him know that what he just did was _not cool._

"You big idiot! Do you realize you could have hurt yourself? Not to mention you gave me a _heart attack_ jumping out like that! Don't you _ever_ do something like that again!"

I feel like I could _cry_ from the sheer emotion that's cursing through me- the relief, the anger, the happiness. God, why do I have to be so emotional sometimes? But it's not until I stop (gently) hitting him do I realize that he's not responding to me. He's standing tense as a tree, his face red as a cherry with his cheeks puffed up slightly and I can see the watery look in his eyes as he turns to me.

"….You jumped after me. You didn't even look. You just… Jumped after me…."

He mumbles a bit to himself and with a bit of surprise, I find myself getting the largest hug of my life as he pulls me close. He squeezes me almost as hard as I was squeezing him just seconds ago. He has to lean over a bit to do so, but his face is buried at the crook of my neck. I tense up for a moment, but relax and pat him comfortingly on the back. I suppose what I did isn't always the normal response. Most people don't just blindly jump after someone to save them. Then again, I'm not most people. I could have just caught him, flew away, secrets be _damned_ if it means keeping him safe.

My face flushes a bit at his affection and from the corner of my eyes, I can see a few wide-eyed students watching us with a bit of confusion and shock. A few I recognize as the Dimensional Theory Club- man it's been a while since I've even seen them around- but they all grin cheekily at me. Jamie and Christine are laughing a bit, giving me a thumbs up. Diego is grumbling a bit under his breath and reaches into his pocket to hand some money to the guy beside him- who gives me a thrilled thumbs up as if I'm the reason he's getting money (ah hell, they're probably part of Fred's betting ring). Ai looks a bit pissy, crossing her hands over her chest with a huff.

My face turns a brighter shade of red at all the attention and I give a small cough to get Tadashi's attention.

"Um 'Dashi, as much as I'm loving this attention- I'd rather it be when we don't have an audience."

As if I'm hot as fire (which I probably am from this embarrassment), Tadashi pulls away quickly with a red face, his eyes puffy with emotion as he frantically turns his back toward the window of the building so no one can see him in this state. Aw, poor 'Dashi. I grin a bit and wrap my arms around his shoulders, pulling him close,

"I'm sorry, 'Dashi, am I ruining your big bad reputation," I ask mockingly, nudging him slightly that causes him to grumble a bit under his breath.

He fingers the collar of his shirt a bit and turns his attention elsewhere, looking around for a means of escape. Noticing that he just wants to get off this balcony as soon as possible without encountering all of our 'fans,' I grin and spot a support pole and a small ledge sticking out from the side of the building beside the balcony. I swing myself over the side of the balcony and onto the ledge, causing Tadashi to gape at me with a frantic expression on his face. I don't blame him for his concern. After all, if I so much as slip, I'd be tumbling down the side of the building before we could blink. But I give him a cheeky wink and begin to climb onto the pole.

"Danny," Tadashi speaks up, his voice wavering, "Danny, this isn't funny, just get down for there. We can just go through the building."

"Ah, 'Dashi', I'll be fine," I shush him, "Look at this way, if I fall, I'll get to see some ghosts."

Okay, maybe that it isn't exactly the best thing to say to your boyfriend to calm him down when you're doing something dangerous. But, despite all of this and his dotting affection earlier, I'm still a bit pissy at him for scaring me like that. I'll be fine. Even if I do fall, it's not like I'll hit the ground roughly. I think there's a balcony below this one so I'll just use my flight to slow me down a bit (not enough to get noticed) and just swing myself over to that balcony.

Tadashi's face turns to ash and for a moment, I wonder if he's even breathing as he stares at me in horror. I roll my eyes and begin to scale the pole, but I don't even get two feet up before people flood onto the balcony. Christine and Jamie are the first ones to where Tadashi and I are, leaning over the edge a bit so they can see me better, but they have horrified looks on their faces.

"Danny boy, just get down here," Christine urges, "It's not like we'll make fun of you for your little affection stunt with your boyfriend- well Jamie might, but still- just come down here!"

"Danny," Jamie stresses, "Six feet may not seem like a lot, but scaling it at this height is dangerous. Just jump back over to the balcony before you get hurt."

Diego and Ai join us. Behind all of them and Tadashi is a crowd of muttering people, their faces shining in concern as they wonder what they can do to help. Diego is the one to make a move to go after me, but he doesn't get onto the ledge that I used to hoist myself to the pole before Ai and Jamie pull him back by his jacket,

"You idiot," Ai hisses, "you're all idiots! Danny just get down here!"

Well. If I was closer, I would, but I'm not, so I won't. I give her a shrug and continue to scale the pole with ease, ignoring everyone's protests. I don't do anything fancy. I don't show off. I just scale the pole quickly, almost inhumanly so, and flip myself in through the window that Tadashi and I jumped out of. Once I'm in, I lean over the edge of the window to wave and grin at the crowd on the balcony. Most seem surprised I even made it that quickly and gracefully. I can hear Christine, Jamie, Diego and Ai cursing from here, but eventually Christine just gives me a crazy grin and a wave.

"Do you want to join me Tadashi," I ask cheekily, leaning half way out of the window, reaching my hands toward him.

Even in this position, my hands are still a good two feet above his head, but he's frantically shaking his head as he backs away.

"Danny, you're crazy," Tadashi insists, looking up at me, but I just continue to grin.

"What? You haven't already figured that out by now?"

* * *

Baymax's eyes slowly blink open as it stands at attention, a white robotic hand lifting up in a small wave. My heart swells with pride at what Tadashi has accomplished and what I've helped create. I can't believe that he's done this much in such little time. That he actually created a _robot._ An honest to God, borderline A.I., _robotic nurse_. To actually _help_ people.

" _Hello. I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion."_

Tadashi's eyes light up at the sound of Baymax's voice, doing a small little jig from sheer excitement that cause me to look at him in amusement. It took a few seconds for him to regain his composure and I stand a bit away to give him some distance, but close enough that if Baymax does end up exploding, I can save Tadashi easily. Tadashi stands with his arms spread out, a goofy grin on his face,

"Okay, okay, the big moment…. Baymax, _scan me."_

He closes his eyes, wincing as he prepares himself for the worst. I watch the scanner scan Tadashi carefully,

" _Scan completed. You are not physically injured and appear in perfect condition… You have been a good boy, have a lollipop."_

The robot takes out a lollipop from seemingly nowhere- a function that I'm almost sure that Hiro and I have inspired and influenced because I doubt Tadashi would have programed that in otherwise. Tadashi looks he's the one about to explode as he lets out a loud _whoop,_ dancing in place once again with his face lit up like a Christmas tree. Just when I think he's done, he continues to dance for at least another two minutes before he actually _kisses_ Baymax,

"Oh man, my brother is going to _love_ you."

He does another little jig for a moment before he tries to calm down and not get ahead of himself. He takes a few deep breaths before he turns to me and begins to drag me over toward Baymax,

"Come on, Danny, you have to get scanned too. Just to make sure it's working."

Normally, I would pull away gently and refuse and even now I'm thinking about just refusing. Except, I'm going to try to have a little bit of faith in my X-Scanner. Even after all the tweaks I had to made to it to make it compatible with Baymax and scan the full body rather than just the brain, it's original programming will always be to detect ghosts. Nothing more, nothing less. Just a simple ghost scanner remains (which Tadashi reluctantly agreed to). Said ghost scanner has been programed from the beginning to not recognize me as a ghost. So I'll just cross my fingers and hope it does just that….

Granted, that's just the ghost part. Medically, there are many things wrong with me (heartbeat and temperature being only the tip of the iceberg) that Baymax would pick up on… Just when I change my mind and want to pull away, it's too late. I'm already standing in front of Baymax as he scans me. Panicking and thinking fast, I create an invisible duplicate, causing a brief cold shill to spread through the room. I can see Tadashi shiver for a moment and carefully concentrating, I feel my duplicate actually possess Baymax.

For a brief moment, the robot's eyes flash green. It's not that much different than what Technus does. Though this does mean I'll have to make sure it's ghost proof after this because if another ghost got a hold of this robot, they could be pretty powerful.

" _Scan completed,"_ Baymax's voice is slightly different and has more of an echo effect, _"You are not physically injured and_ _appear in perfect condition… You have been a good boy, have a lollipop."_

It's really weird possessing a robot and even weirder to hand yourself a lollipop from said robot. I take the offered lollipop and don't hestiate popping into my mouth and casually side step out of Baymax's view before I stop possessing him and get rid of the duplicate, causing Baymax to blink a bit in what is best described as confusion before turning its head toward Tadashi as if to ask _what happened._

Tadashi is eying Baymax carefully, almost suspiciously before shrugging off whatever thoughts he was having with a shake of his head.

"I guess this is it then. You're ready for the world, buddy… You're gonna save so many people," he gives a small smile as he clasps Baymax on the shoulder, "I am satisfied with my care."

With that, Baymax deactivates as I continue to suck on the lollipop. Leaning against the wall, I'm sure to suck on it as loudly as I possibly can to get Tadashi's attention. He turns to look at me to find the source of the smacking noise, only to turn bright red when I give him a suggestive wink. He pulls his cap down to cover his face, mumbling under his breath.

"In all seriousness," I pop the lollipop out of my mouth, "I should probably make him possession-proof."

Tadashi adjusts his cap and looks up at me with a curious expression,

"Can electronics and robots even get possessed?"

I shrug slightly and move from my spot against the wall, waving the lollipop in my hand as I speak- I'm not finished with it and the lollipops are actually _really_ good. I don't care if it's bad for me (and my teeth). I don't care if I may get some very minor food poising from it (though I doubt it since candy, especially lollipops is mostly sugar which my system actually _enjoys_ because _hey it's energy_ and if there's one thing I burn a lot of, it's energy).

"It's not exactly common- most ghosts don't like it- but it yeah, it happens. I knew one ghost who was _obsessed_ with technology. He'd possess Baymax in a heartbeat and use him for whatever purposes he wants…. Granted, he's not so malevolent now so I doubt he'd do it if I told him that if he did he'd get a one way trip back to the Zone."

I hum a bit to myself thoughtfully, wondering just how I can make Baymax ghost proof. I can always use the same hardware that's for the Specter Deflector and put it in Baymax. I get a thoughtful look on my face as I think about it. Maybe I'll just put the hardware onto a chip so it's in Baymax's system. I mean like _really_ in his- wait a second. _Goddamn it._ Tadashi has me calling that robot a _him_ now. Just when did I start doing that?

"Just how… why… How would that even work? _Possessing_ a machine? I don't…"

He trails off a bit, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Sometimes I forget that he's not exactly well-versed in everything ghosts. I shake my head a bit with a sigh,

"It's complicated and each machine is different but in the case of robots- _Baymax-,_ it's a walking, powerful, _empty_ vessel. It's basically possessing a body without worrying about the person trying to fight you out. Most ghosts don't do it because- well for one, robots take more power to possess because it uses the ghost's own energy to recharge it. Not to mention they don't usually last as long and not all of them as they same endurance that Baymax does so what's the point? Besides, most ghosts that possession do it specifically because they want to be human or do things a human does- they can't do it with robots because robots don't blend in- and some even feed off the negativity and the person themselves during the possession which can kill some people..."

I trial off slightly, a small frown stretching across my face as I think. A side glance toward Tadashi tells me he's not really liking what I'm saying either. I'm not sure which is bothering him more- the idea that his creation (something made to help people) could be used for bad intentions or that possession could actually kill someone. He looks like he's about to be sick with his ashen face and a hand over his stomach. His breathing sounds unsteady and shaky.

I snap back to reality and quickly rush over to him and lead him over to a nearby chair, setting him down gently with caring whispers.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you, 'Dashi," I whisper as I rub comforting circles on his back, my mouth right by his ear, "Just take it easy…. Deep breaths. Slowly… I promise I won't let anything happy to you, Hiro, _or_ Baymax, okay?"

He's barely able to nod at me, his head moving sluggishly as his face consorts into something akin to pain. I continue to just whisper to him slowly and softly, even going as far as sitting on the arm of the chair and bringing him into a comforting side hug. I place a soft kiss to the top of his head and hold him a bit tightly in an embrace. It takes a moment, but he slowly begins to relax and I can hear his breathing begin to return to normal as his face gains a bit more color to it. Seeing that he's doing better, I let him go and give him a comforting smile.

"See? Everything's okay…. So why don't you go head off to the waffle house and bring back some food while I work on ghost-proofing Baymax?"

"Y-Yeah…. That sounds like a plan."


	36. Chapter Thirty-Five

**Author Note: Thus the movie begins... Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I can feel a smile stretching itself upon my face as I gentle soar through the night sky over San Fransokyo. Being invisible and intangible covers my tracks so that no one will spot me. But I just need to go out and stretch my powers a bit, to be as free as I've been feeling lately. Baymax is ready for the world- possession/ghost proof, able to track and notice ghosts with the exception of me due to the chip I put into his system. So as long as no one messes with the chip, I should be good and I doubt that anyone is going to be messing in Baymax's system aside from Tadashi (who knows not to touch the ghost chip I've put in).

I stretch out and float around on my back, resting my hands behind my head as I cross my ankles. I've forgotten just how relaxing and calming this is. No ghosts to fight. No big villains to stop. No flying at 200+ miles per hour. Just floating around without a care in the world. But just when I think this is going to be an easy time out, my phone rings causing me to jump as I rush to answer it, recognizing the set ringtone as Tadashi's.

" _-Danny,"_ Tadashi frantically speaks, not even offering a simple _hello_ or _how are you,_ his voice is laced with concern, " _I can't find Hiro and I'm getting worried. He's been going out bot fighting again, but it's already pretty late and I know how some of these guys can get if some kid tricks them out of their money. I've already checked his usual places but I can't find him…. God, what if something happened to him? What if he's hurt or laying in a ditch somewhere?"_

Tadashi talks in a hurried manner, barely even finishing sentences before he moves onto the next one. His quick words make my head spin for a moment before what he's saying is actually processing in my mind. _Goodbye quiet time,_ I mourn briefly as I get set to head flying through the city. My eyes scan the area quickly, keeping an eye out for the familiar head of black hair. We need to find him fast. Bot fighting aside, being out this late is never a good thing. Especially if you're alone and barely even fourteen.

"Calm down, 'Dashi. I doubt anything has happened. You know Hiro, he's a smart kid and knows how to get out of situations when they get rough-"

I stop mid-sentence as my eyes land on a familiar boy. Even though he's all the way on the ground, I see him perfectly with my ghostly senses. He's creeping out of a warehouse from an ally like a proud peacock strutting its feathers, some money in hand and a small bot in the other. My jaw tenses slightly, knowing the warehouse instantly. Yama is very protective of his bots, even more so of making sure his reputation of being the best bot fighter. I've never met him personally, but some of his goons (and opponents) occasionally come by A.D.'s gym. They don't exactly hide the fact that they like beating up whomever Yama orders them too- most of the time, it's people that beat him in a match. If Hiro is walking out of there- proudly and with money at that- then it doesn't take a genius to know that Hiro beat Yama which means he's in danger.

"-I gotta go."

I hang up before he can question me. If Tadashi shows up it could just put him in danger too. I can't risk that. Quickly, I head straight into the ally and turn visible/tangible in the shadows before emerging, revealing myself as I step right in front of Hiro.

"Your brother is worried about you," I say casually.

Hiro jumps sky-high at my sudden appearance, yelping and nearly dropping his winnings before he regains his composure, attempting to appear cool.

"He's always worried about me," Hiro deflects my comment easily, "-Hey what do you say we go get some waffles with my winnings?"

I stand a bit sternly, giving him a look that's usually reserved for Ellie when she does something wrong, as I cross my arms over my chest, raising a single eyebrow. I can see Hiro gulp as he looks momentarily frightened. He takes a step back, unsure of himself as his eyes dart around a bit nervously.

"Did… Did I do something wrong," he asks hesitantly and slowly causing me to roll my eyes.

"Ah, gee, what do you think Hiro? You're betting on bot fights- which is something else entirely- but doing it _here_ in _Yama's territory_? In the middle of the night? Alone? Without telling anyone? God, Hiro, I think you're _trying_ to give us all a heart attack."

His eyes briefly shine in what seems to be guilt as he opens his mouth to say what I hope is an apology. Yet a couple of Yama's goons- ones that I know form the gym- exit the warehouse with stern, dark expressions on their faces and towering forms as they waste no time in shoving Hiro into the wall with a gruff noise, pinning him against the wall. My fists tighten at my sides and anger begins to rise in my chest. I'm almost sure my eyes have glowed briefly. A small growl emits from my throat, gaining their attention,

"You may want to let him go before I make you."

The goons share a look and exchange what seems to be laughter, mumbling some nonsense about 'a pipsqueak thinking he's tough.' My anger briefly flares from that comment alone, but it absolutely _boils_ when one of them strengthens their hold on Hiro. I gave them a chance. They refused. So we're going to do this the hard way. Hiro looks to me with wide, pleading eyes, begging me to not pick a fight with these guys, but I can hold my own easily against these baboons.

"Fine," a twisted, dark smirk emerges on my face, "Be that way. You're all just a bunch of brainless cavemen anyway."

That insult gains their attention as their heads snap to me. The one holding Hiro drops him and as if they are some sort of pack of animals, they begin to leer toward me. But I guess they're dumber than I thought if they actually think they're the predators in this fight. The demented smirk never falters as I make a lunge toward the first goon, ducking as he goes to take a swing at me, and sweeping my leg to knock him to the ground. As he begins to falter backward, I send a quick, hard punch to his chest that sends him tumbling down. He lands with a loud and forceful thud that even shakes the nearby trash cans.

I waste no time in taking out the other goons as quickly as I can. I throw a punch toward another's nose and ram my below backward when one tries to grab me from behind. The begin to drop likes flies in a manner of minutes, if not seconds. Not even a real fight. I'm not even out of breath or tired yet as their bodies litter the ground around me, groaning and moaning too much to be a threat as they make no effort to stand back up.

"Hiro," I snap my attention toward the younger boy, "Are you okay?"

I check over him like a dotting mother for any signs of scrapes or bruises, but Hiro just stands there with a big, goofy grin on his face and stars in his eyes as he tackles me in a large hug.

"Danny! Dude that was _a-mazing!_ I knew you could fight but man- that was just something else entirely! It was so _epic!_ You took one a bunch of guys more than three times your size in _seconds!_ Without even getting hit once! I mean-"

He stops mid-sentence as he realizes that he's dangling from my neck on the verge of turning into a fanboy. I have a small, amused smile on my face as he quickly lets me go with a faint blush on his face, shifting from one foot to another as he stands in front of me.

"-I mean, that was pretty cool," he mumbles a bit, refusing to meet my eyes.

I laugh a bit at his reaction and give him a brotherly tussle of the hair, causing him to fuss at me as I just continue to laugh. Though we don't get to continue on our way so easily as a familiar moped starts zooming toward us. I don't even have to see whose under that helmet to know who it is. Man am I going to be in trouble for not calling. Tadashi chucks his helmet off as his moped zips to a stop in front of Hiro and I.

"Hiro," his eyes are shining with concern, "Are you okay?"

He dots over Hiro briefly, causing Hiro to mumble that he's okay but that only makes Tadashi chuck the helmet into his arms with a brisk order to get on the moped. With Hiro safely and securely on the moped, Tadashi's head snaps to me. I shift a bit on my feet, trying to avoid eye contact as he narrows his eyes briefly at me, waving an accusing finger,

"And _you_ \- we will talk about this later! I told you that bot fighting isn't good for him and yourselves hurt!"

I gulp a bit, wondering how I can possibly get myself out of this mess. I open my mouth, prepared to tell him I just arrived here, that I didn't take Hiro to this bot fight, that I didn't call him so that he wouldn't be hurt. But my voice just dies in my throat. Hiro, however, has no problem speaking up,

"Chill, 'Dashi," Hiro snaps, "Danny just got here! And he's like some sort of ninja- he took down all those goons when they came to attack me."

Tadashi's eyes widen by just a small fraction at Hiro's words and even I can't help but be a bit startled. Hiro isn't one to just snap at Tadashi- he rarely speaks against whatever Tadashi says. The boy _idolizes_ his brother to such an extreme degree. But here he is, talking back against Tadashi, to stand up for me. I guess Hiro wasn't kidding when he said that he saw me as a brother. Even if Tadashi is his biological brother- you can never enough siblings.

Tadashi slowly begins to notice his surroundings a bit more, taking in the large men surrounding us as they moan and groan in pain. His lips part with a bit of a horrified, slightly startled gasp before he shakes his head. However, the sounds of sirens cause us all to jump and prepare ourselves for the worst. As their distracted, I fade into the shadows before turning completely invisible to the naked eye. Getting caught by the cops is a risk I won't take. Besides, Jazz has already taken time off to help my sorry ass.

"Danny, get on," Tadashi hops onto his moped with ease, but as he turns to look behind his shoulder, I've disappeared causing him to curse about me bailing out on them.

I can't help but laugh. It echoes through the ally in an eerie manner, bouncing all around in a way that makes it hard, if not impossible, to find where the source is. Hiro shudders a bit at the creepy effect of my laugh before hitting Tadashi in the back lightly,

"Come on, he'll be fine! But we gotta go now or otherwise we'll be-"

The cop cars pull up at the beginning of the ally, blocking any way out. They're stuck. Doomed. I could always help them- in various different ways- but I know in my heart that Tadashi won't feel right about avoiding cops like that when his brother really was doing some illegal. So I stick to my places in the shadows, my laugh barely being heard over the sirens. Tadashi is looking around with a slightly offended expression and a mild glare, hoping that he'll end up glaring at me directly.

"-caught," Hiro finishes lamely, only causing my laughter to increase.


	37. Chapter Thirty-Six

**Author Note: Enjoy the update- please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I end up strolling into the police station with a big grin on my face, my hands shoved into the pockets of my jackets. I walk with a purpose and a strut in my step. A few cops give me a quick look over and I give them a friendly, _I'm only here to see someone_ smile that causes them to go back to their business rather quickly. It doesn't take long for me to spot Hiro, idly sitting on a bench in front of a small jail cell with a sheepish expression on his face. As I get closer to the jail, I notice that it's filled to the brim (quite literally) with heavy, rough men, so much so that Tadashi is being shoved into the bars. He doesn't look that happy. A quick glance to the other cell shows a medic looking over the guys that I had taken out in the alley. The one conscious one looks to me with a frightened look on his face, opening his mouth as if he's about to say something but I just narrow my eyes at him and I can feel them flash green for just a brief moment. He quickly shuts his mouth.

"Wow Tadashi, I never pegged you for a criminal. I'm _heartbroken_ ," I chime as I plop down next to Hiro on the bench, throwing my arm over his shoulders, "Just what type of example are you setting for your little brother?"

He gives me the most dry, _I'm so gonna kill you later_ look paired with a small annoyed growl that causes me to burst into laughter. Hiro doesn't join me in the laughing fit, but he does have a shy, _shit I don't know if I'm allowed to laugh at that_ grin on his face. I just continue to give him a tight side-hug with a large, goofy grin on my face.

"Fenton," Tadashi growls, causing me to pout at him in a dramatic manner, a hand over my heart.

"Using my last name? I'm _wounded."_

Hiro does laugh at that, but he tries (and fails) to cover it with his hands, his shoulders shaking slightly at our exchange. Tadashi just continues to glare daggers at me, but I make a kissy face at him, combined with forming a heart with my hands, causing him to flush as he mutters slightly under his breath. When he doesn't say anything, I just relax onto the bench, putting my hands behind my head with a content expression on my face. I know he's okay in there- even if it doesn't look comfortable- and I'm sure Aunt Cass will be anytime now to pick up these knuckleheads.

"That was a cool disappearing act, Danny," Hiro gushes, eager to break the silence, causing me to look at him through the corner of my eyes with an amused smirk, "Just how did you do that?"

"Ninja training, Hiro," I pat his head, "Lots and lots of ninja training….. And ghost hunting experience," I add as an afterthought.

"Does that mean you'll teach me how to do it," Hiro asks hopefully, his eyes wide and bright.

I briefly look to Tadashi through the corner of my eyes to see him silently pleading me to say no. To not teach Hiro dangerous stuff. With a small sigh and sad smile, I ruffle Hiro's hair affectionately.

"Maybe when you're older," I compromise, "And if Tadashi says it's okay."

Hiro pouts at my answer, crossing his arms over his chest, muttering about how that'll never happen then. My eyes sadden softly and I look to Tadashi as if to say _please,_ but he just shakes his head (well to the best that he can anyway since he's in a pretty jammed position). Seeing him in that jail, I have to admit, is a huge chance for me to make multiple jail jokes as well as sex jokes. However, with Hiro sitting beside me, I'm trying to at least censor myself and my jokes. Though when I look to Tadashi and give him a certain look, he seems to catch onto what I'm thinking, causing him to flush and swear under his breath.

He doesn't get a chance to scold me for thinking something so vulgar (thankfully) as a cop comes wandering by with a shake of her head. She eyes me and Hiro for a moment, giving us a small smile before turning to the jail cell.

"Hamada, Tadashi," she speaks, unlocking the cell, "you've been released. Keep your nose clean and hopefully we won't see each other again…."

She lets Tadashi out of the cell and he gives her a thankful look. Tadashi wastes no time in heading over toward Hiro and I. Both of us give him a huge hug, squeezing him tightly and I even plant a small peck to his cheek, murmuring a small _glad you're okay_ that makes him blush. The cop looks a bit fondly at us, a small smile on her face at the scene, before she turns away and heads back to her business.

Another nearby cop escorts us all out of the police station, even going as far as holding the door open for us. We're greeted by the sight of Aunt Cass pacing nervously in front of her car before she spots us. To my surprise, she doesn't seem that angry. Just concerned.

"Hey Aunt Cass," we all greet softly.

She doesn't hesitate to grab us all in a large hug, pulling us close,

"Are you guys okay," she asks in concern.

"We're fine," we all mutter.

She gets a fond, caring expression on her face for a brief moment as she pulls away, allowing me to squirm free of her grasp. The anger comes in a flash. _Ah there it is. That's the expression I was waiting for._ She snatches Tadashi and Hiro by the ears, dragging them to the car, causing me to bellow in laughter.

"-Then what were you two knuckeheads thinking! And don't you laugh, Danny, if I had a third hand, you bet I'd be dragging you too… Now get in the car. All of you. Now."

I'm smart enough to not argue with her and I get shoved into the backseat of the small car, right between Tadashi and Hiro as Aunt Cass starts driving off, heading in the direction of the Lucky Cat Cafe, ranting the entire drive.

"For ten years, I have done the best I could to raise you," she starts, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, "Have I been the perfect guardian? No! Do I know anything about raising children? No!"

She parks the car and gets out, heading straight to the doors of the cafe as we all follow her patiently.

"Should I have picked up a book on parenting," she continues as she unlocks the doors, "Probably!… Where I was going with this? I had a point!"

She looks a bit frantic as she holds the door open, her voice on the edge of scolding, yet it seems she doesn't know what words to say to discipline them. Her voice is so straining and stressed. Stress caused from the shop and from us…. Crap. I hate to worry her so much. She's like an aunt that I've always wanted.

"Sorry Aunt Cass," Tadashi and I offer as we share an equally shameful look.

"Love you Aunt Cass," Hiro adds, causing Aunt Cass to snap that she loves him too.

We all enter the shop hesitantly. I note that it's empty despite it not being closing time. A sign for _Beat Poetry_ hangs on the wall. Ah man. Did I miss Beat Poetry night again? I love poetry and hearing people share theirs is so fun. Mochi comes up and greets me, purring at my feet, causing me to coo at the cat slightly as Aunt Cass continues to rant.

"I hate to close up early because of you three felons," Aunt Cass grabs a doughnut from the counter and starts chowing down,"On Beat Poetry Night!…. I'm stress eating because of you, come on Mochi!"

She heads off to behind the counter, the cat reluctantly leaving me to follow her. Tadashi, Hiro and I head straight up toward the room. My feet drag behind me slightly with my hands still shoved into the pockets of my jacket.

"You sure you're okay 'Dashi," I whisper to him as we walk side by side, Hiro practically racing up the stairs.

"I'm fine," he answers with a small sigh, "Just… tired. When is he going to learn that he can't do this?"

We stop briefly in the middle of the staircase, turning to face each other with a caring expression as I put my hands on his shoulders, placing a small kiss to his lips,

"He'll figure it out, 'Dashi…. But maybe a small push in the right direction may help him? You know, I don't think he's really been to the lab enough to really see our inventions…?"

Tadashi hums a bit thoughtfully, relaxing a bit into my grasp and leans in for another brief chaste kiss before we continue on our up the stairs. Hiro is already tuned out from the world, focusing on the computer screen with wide eyes. I sigh a bit before plopping straight down onto Tadashi's bed, giving him a jokingly flirtatious look and a wink, causing him to roll his eyes as he tosses his jacket at me, causing me to pout.

"You know you have to make this up to Aunt Cass before she eats everything in the cafe," Tadashi chimes to Hiro, "And I hope you learned your lesson..."

"Absolutely," Hiro says, turning in the chair to face Tadashi, but he doesn't look or sound that convincing.

"...You're going bot fighting again, aren't you," Tadashi's face drops as Hiro jumps from the chair, revealing a bot fighting website on the screen.

"There's a fight across town," he explains, "If I hurry, I can still make it."

He goes to head down the stairs, but Tadashi grabs him from the collar, pulling him back in a way that causes Hiro to turn to him.

"When are you going to do something with that big brain of yours," Tadashi taps Hiro's forehead, causing Hiro to scoff.

"Like what? Go to Nerd College ike you? So people can tell me stuff I already know?"

Tadashi's expression drops in disappointment and a part of mine does as well as Tadashi puts a hand to his face in exasperation.

"What would Mom and Dad say," Tadashi groans a bit.

"I don't know, they're gone," Hiro snaps a bit, heading back to the staircase.

Tadashi and I share a look and I give him an encouraging smile and a slight _go on_ _do it_ wave, causing him to roll his eyes before he tosses his helmet to Hiro.

"Come on, I'll take you. I can't stop you from going, but I'm not going to let you go on your own."

Hiro doesn't seem to catch on, muttering a _sweet_ under his breath before hopping down the stairs. I hop off the bed and head after them, slapping Tadashi on the butt lightly as I pass him on the stairs, causing him to yelp. I don't even have to turn around to see his flustered expression as I go outside to join Hiro on the moped.

* * *

"What are we doing at your nerd school? The bot fight is _that_ way."

Hiro complains as Tadashi pulls up to the school, a small smirk on his face. I can't help but smirk as well, knowing what Tadashi is planning as we pull up to the school. Hiro doesn't stop complaining the entire time, causing me to smack him upside the head,

"Relax, Hiro, we just have to pick up something. We'll be in and out before you know it."

We head straight to the lab, passing a few people on the way. My arm drapes around Tadashi's shoulders, pulling him close to him, as Hiro walks besides us in a huff, his arms crossed as he mutters to himself.

"Don't be a big baby," Tadashi smirks, "You've never really seen the projects before."

"Oh great," Hiro tosses his hands up sarcastically as I let Tadashi go to open the door for them, "I get to see your nerd lab~"

The expression on Hiro's face as GoGo whips by, nearly running into him is hilarious, but I don't linger any longer than I have to and hurry to go stand by Tadashi. We share a knowing, _this is so going to work_ look and a discrete high-face as Hiro's eyes sweep across the lab. It's a sight to see. Hovering cats. Robots rolling around. Flying robotic sharks. My giant half-way built portal in the background, planted into the wall. Anything you can possibly dream.

Hiro hesitantly heads to GoGo's bike, his hand going between the bike itself and the wheel with a whispered _woah._

"Electromagnetic suspension," he mutters, "I've never seen that on a bike before..."

GoGo pops her bubblegum, cradling the bike as she spins the wheel carelessly,

"Zero resistance equals faster bike… But not fast enough," she tosses the wheel into a bin of other older wheels, "...Yet."

Hiro nods a bit before wandering on, stumbling across Wasabi's section of the lab. I grab Hiro by the collar and pull him back behind the safety line, a small scolding expression on my face as Wasabi frantically waves his hands about,

"Behind the line, please!"

"Hey Wasabi," Tadashi and I greet.

Wasabi gets a wicked grin on his face, excited to show his project to a fresh face as he eyes Hiro.

"Hello Hiro…. Be prepared to be amazed."

He gestures his hands dramatically before tossing an apple through the two rods he has set up. With my ghostly enhanced vision, I can see what the other two can't- the million and one tiny blue plasma lasers that are shooting between the rods. The apple passes through, splitting into paper-thin slices that flutter through the air. I take one and look it over before looking toward Tadashi with a shrug, popping the apple slice into my mouth. Tadashi rolls his eyes at my behavior, but I have a cheeky grin on my face. Wasabi flicks a switch, making the lasers between the two rods visible to the naked, human eye.

"Laser-enduced plasma," Hiro awes.

"With a little magnetic confinement for ultra precision," Wasabi informs him, gesturing toward his very organized tool box.

"Wow," Hiro snorts, picking up one of the small tools, "How do you fine anything in this mess?"

Wasabi quickly snatches the tool away from Hiro with a tsk, carefully placing it back so that it was perfectly between the lines.

"Ah-eh, I have a system. There's a place for everything and everything in it's place."

I spot GoGo coming up from behind us and move out of her way quickly, causing me to see Honey Lemon trying to move a large ball of metal through the room. I quickly abandon the others- vaguely aware of the fact that Wasabi is screeching at GoGo for touching his things as I go to Honey Lemon. She plucks the earbuds out of her ears and gives me a warm grin as I help her move the ball with ease.

"Excuse us," Honey Lemon calls out to warn Hiro and Tadashi as we push the ball together toward her lab.

She's able to move it into place herself as I go to stand back by Tadashi and Hiro. Honey Lemon gets a large grin on her face,

"Tadashi," she cheers, "And oh my god! Hiro!"

She gives Hiro an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek and he flushes slightly in a way that makes me snort with amusement, though Tadashi elbows me to shut up.

"Perfect timing," Honey Lemon cheers, "Four hundred pounds of texan carbate! Come here! You're going to love this! A dash of chlorate acid, a smudge of colbite, and a hint of florid peroxide… Super heated to five hundred kelvin and…."

A large spray spreads a pink flour through the air and as Honey Lemon flips an electric switch, the electricity zaps the substance into the metal, turning it a shade of pink that causes Tadashi and I to share a _thank god we didn't get into that_ look.

"~Here's the best part," Honey Lemon says giddily, before gently touching the metal, causing the pink stuff to spray everywhere across from her, "Total metal embriddlement!"

"Not bad Honey Lemon," Tadashi compliments, causing Hiro to crinkle his nose.

"You know, until now, I never realized that you guys have some really strange nicknames- Honey Lemon, GoGo, Wasabi..."

Wasabi briefly passes us with a frustrate _I spilled it on my shirt one time people_ as he exits the lab.

"Fred comes up with the nicknames," I offer.

"Fred," Hiro nods, "Yeah that makes sense."

He turns on his heels a bit, only to come face to face with a guy in a lizard suit, making him jump with a yelp.

"Don't be alarmed," Fred chimes casually, "This is just a suit! This is not my real face or body!"

He sticks a hand out of the lizard's mouth to shake Hiro's hand. Though Hiro doesn't seem too thrilled about it, eying Fred cautiously.

"Hey Hiro, didn't expect to see you here. But dude- check me out! School Mascot by day and by night," he twirls the sign in his hands, "I'm also a school mascot."

The mouth of the suit opens to reveal his head and face as he plops down on his beanie chair. I'm surprised we have have the space to spare for him to have his little junk pile here.

"So what's your major," Hiro questions, but Fred scoffs.

"I'm not a student here! But I'm a major science enthusiast. I've been trying to make Honey Lemon come up with a formula that will turn me into a fire breathing dragon at will. But she says that's not science."

Honey Lemon comes with with a sheepish expression on her face,

"It's really not."

"Oh and I suppose the giant mind controlling device I asked Casper for isn't science either!"

"It's really not," I cross my arms, "And even if it was, I still wouldn't do it."

Fred looks mildly offended, but continues babbling about other unscientific things that gain the others attention. Hiro briefly turns to me, mouthing the word _Casper_ that causes me to nudge him. As they all banter among themselves, Tadashi leads Hiro and I to his personal lab, making sure to close the doors securely. Tadashi takes out the red box that I know as Baymax.

"So what have you been working on," Hiro questions.

Tadashi motions for Hiro to come forward, a roll of duct tape in his hands. I wince slightly, knowing what's coming next.

"I hate to break it to you, but duct tape has already been invented."

He's too busy being snarky and sarcastic that he doesn't process the fact that Tadashi has torn off a piece of duct tape and put it on Hiro's arm, ripping it off quickly, causing Hiro to pull his arm away,

"Dude! Ow!"

I pat Hiro on the shoulder comfortingly, as the red box beeps and Baymax emerges,

"This is Baymax," Tadashi introduces, "He's what I've been working on."

Baymax slowly starts to walk over toward Hiro, moving the chair out of his way. I back away from Hiro and head toward Tadashi as Baymax waves at Hiro slightly,

" _Hello I am Baymax. Your personal healthcare companion. I was alerted to the need of medical attention when you said ow. On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"_

His stomach lights up with a simple pain chart, but Hiro glances back to Tadashi,

"Physical or emotional?"

Tadashi pouts and I snort slightly at Hiro's answer. I think I've been a bad influence on the kid. He wasn't this snarky when I first met him.

" _I will scan you now. Scan complete. You have a slight epidermal abrasion on your arm. I suggest an antibacterial spray."_

Hiro tests Baymax slightly, but Baymax seems to pass as Hiro looks him over with an impressive look on his face, pressing his face against Baymax to comment on the metallic skeleton piece that's apparently pretty strong as Tadashi doesn't hesitate to say how Baymax can lift over a thousand pounds.

"You've done some serious coding on this thing," Hiro praises.

"Uploaded him with over ten thousand medical procedures," Tadashi presses the button to reveal the two chips inside of Baymax.

One chip is a green one with a small piece of tape that says _Tadashi Hamada._ The other one is a ghostly blue chip with a cartoon ghost on it.

"-And," I pitch it, "He's Ghost Proof. He can detect ghosts, can't be possessed, and can offer a small temporary Ghost Shield."

Hiro quirks an eyebrow at my explanation, but Tadashi just shrugs his shoulders with a _he insisted_ expression as I give a cheeky grin,

"And you haven't seen nothing yet. Unlike your nerdy brother, I'm doing something cool."

I nudge Tadashi lightly, causing him to huff but he smiles at my taunting as we exit Tadashi's personal lab and head straight toward my portal. Hiro eyes the large slabs of metal cautiously and isn't afraid to look through any lingering papers on my desk with a critical eye.

"The Ghost Zone," I announce dramatically, "Coming soon to a portal near you," I wink, causing Hiro and Tadashi to roll their eyes.

"An actual dimensional portal," Hiro mutters with awe, "How is that possible?"

"Anything's possible when you come here," I explain gently, placing a hand on Hiro's shoulder, "As long as you open your mind up and never stop learning."

Hiro nods a bit, a thoughtful expression on his face and I can see the proud look on Tadashi's face.

"...I have to go here," Hiro announces quietly.

Mission accomplished.


	38. Chapter Thirty-Seven

**Because this one is so short and because I'm excited for this fic, the next chapter will be posted later today or tomorrow rather than next Saturday. Then afterwards, updates will continue to be on Saturday. But anyway, the action picks up again next chapter so no worries about the lack of action in this one. Though this chapter does really push the T rating so if you're not comfortable with the suggestive dirtiness (though nothing is explicit), then skip the part after the last linebreak (the last four, small paragraphs).**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I stretch from my place on a beanie bag in the miniature basement lab as Hiro works on his project. Tadashi and I can't be happier that our little plan worked and Hiro wants to attend the college. He's sure to win the competition. I just know it. I can feel it in my bones. I look briefly to Hiro as he focuses intensely on his work, writing down various things and printing out various others. Unluckily, I've been down here for the past two hours and there is still no sign of Tadashi. There was no sign of him upstairs, at the cafe, the gym, or at the college either so I had hoped to catch him here if I waited long enough, but no such luck.

"Hiro," I call out, "Not that it isn't cool to see you work and all, but it is the weekend so I'm kinda hoping on taking your brother out. Will you be okay here by yourself?"

"Uh-huh," he mutters, not even looking up from his project.

I get up from my spot, popping my back as I do so and head over to Hiro briefly. I ruffle his hair, gaining his attention as I speak.

"Hey genius, do you know where I can find your brother?"

He quirks an eyebrow,

"Why don't you just call him or something?"

I groan, throwing my head back,

"I would but my phone died hours ago…. So since you're such a darling little brother, I was hoping you'd know."

I give him my best pleading expression. He rolls his eyes, muttering something about _stupid lovebirds_ under his breath before digging his phone out of his bag and tossing it to me. I send a cheerful thanks his way, but he just waves me off with a curt _just keep my phone for the day I'll be fine_. Shrugging my shoulders as he turns back to his project, I head out, wasting no time in calling up Tadashi as I do so.

" _Hiro? Is something wrong? Do you need something?"_

"What I need," I say easily, and I can tell that the sound of my voice has startled him from the small _what the hell_ he mutters, "Is to know where my darling boyfriend is so I can take him out for a much needed date. What do you say?"

I wait a moment as I'm met with silence. After a moment of what sounds like shuffling, Tadashi's voice finally comes back on.

 _"...Yeah, sure. A date sounds great. Sorry I was out shopping, but I got a surprise for you~ Where do you want to meet?"_

My eyes widen slightly at the mention of a surprise. We're not exactly a couple that thrives on gifts, so it's a bit of a shock to hear Tadashi just went out and got something when he was shopping for me without it even being an anniversary or holiday. When is our anniversary anyway? If I'm remembering correctly, our six-month anniversary should be around the same time of the presentation? Damn. That means I can't exactly whisk him away to do some pretty vulgar and unspeakable things to him after a day of pampering. Not to mention I do have to tell him I'm half ghost sometime. Maybe after our sixth month anniversary? A year seems too long to go dating without him knowing… So sixth months is a good compromise. Or maybe seven.

"A surprise, for lil' ol' me," I swoon dramatically, "Why Tadashi, you're such a gentleman~ What do you say to the movies? Or maybe to the ice cream shop? Or even the waffle place since someone loves their waffles so much~"

I tease him slightly and it's almost like I can hear him get flustered as he stutters a bit.

" _Heh…_ _. Waffles sound pretty good,"_ he admits sheepishly, _"Meet you there in five."_

I'm barely able to get out _okay sounds good_ before he's hung up on me, causing me to pout slightly. Though it's hard to stay upset when I know that I will be seeing him soon. More so, that he has a surprise for me…. I can't wait to see what that little nerd has gotten me~

* * *

When I arrive at the waffle shop, Tadashi is already there. He wasn't lying about shopping. There are several bags scattered at the booth and near his feet, but he's still able to give me an excited grin as he waves me over. A large smile stretches across my face as I pick up the pace to go meet up with him. We share a brief, chaste kiss in greeting before I plop down at the spot across from him.

"So the surprise," I rub my hands together eagerly, "Gimme~"

Tadashi laughs at my antics as he reaches down into a bag,

"Well, I've already ordered our food and drinks in case you wondering, but I think food is the farthest thing from your mind…. And I know how much you love ghosts so I got you a few shirts..."

A few shirts? More than one? My expression softens slightly, noticing the face, Tadashi waves his hand,

"Don't worry, Danny. I was out shopping anyway and you're the same size of me so we can always share clothes if it's going to bother you that much."

An image of Tadashi wearing one of my sweaters makes me flush slightly and even he has a faint blush on his cheeks as he hands me a few folded shirts, gesturing me to check them out. A few have cartoon sheet ghosts on them. One says _I ain't afraid of no ghost_ in dripping white font and another says _Sorry I already have a booo_ with a cute bedsheet ghost next to it. Another is long sleeved, very large _Ghostbusters_ shirt with the logo printed on the front.

A large, goofy grin stretches across my face causing Tadashi to chuckle slightly,

"Yeah, I thought you may like them."

"Like them? I _love_ them, thanks babe."

If he has a problem with the nickname, he doesn't say so. He does, however, get a large blush on his face and stutters a bit, pulling at the collar of his shirt in a flustered manner. I just continue to grin at him as if I'm not a tad bit flustered at the slip of the tongue myself. But my gaze goes straight back to the shirts. I know for a fact that the baggy _Ghostbusters_ one will be _perfect_ for pajamas.

"I-uh- I'm glad you like them," he manages to get out, flushing brightly as he nervously coughs into his fist, "I hope I got the right size."

I quirk an eyebrow and gesture absently toward my torso,

"Do I really look like I'm anything bigger than a small?"

Tadashi's red flush grows and deepens as his eyes widen slightly. His hands wave through the air frantically,

"No- no! You look great! I didn't mean it that way!"

I listen to him sputter as he tries to dig himself out a hole. I let him blabber on for a few more minutes, mostly because listening to him blabber and sputter apologies about how he couldn't possibly mean it I a bad way because I look great is greatly amusing. Besides, hearing him say that I look pretty damn good is a huge ego booster that makes me puff my chest a bit. A small smirk makes it way to my lips and after a bit, Tadashi notices the amusement in my expression causing him to deflate.

"You're just messing with me, aren't you," he asks dryly.

"You betcha," I say happily, a big grin stretching across my face before I lean over and give him an exaggerated, slightly slobbery kiss on the cheek.

He blanches and wipes at his cheek with a napkin when I pull away. He glares mildly at me, but there's amusement in his eyes as he wipes at his cheek. I continue to give him my cheeky grin and eventually, he snorts a bit with a small smile on his face, shaking his head in disbelief.

"You're disgusting, you know that?"

"I can be a lot more disgusting than that," I give him a wink with a seductive smile, "but that's stuff for the bedroom and not a waffle house."

He flushes even more, burying his face in his hands as he mutters about me being absolutely inappropriate. I let out a small amused laugh at his response, but my eyes never leave him. I just keep gazing at him with love and caring as my hand gently goes to the one still covering his face. Carefully, I peel away his hands to see him a bit better and I offer him a reassuring smile as I bring his hands down, but don't let go. I hold his hands lovingly with a goofy grin on my face. He returns the smile after a moment, his hands clasping mine back tightly.

* * *

Later that night as I walk around my dorm, I'm wearing the baggy shirt. It's comfortable as hell. That combined with a pair of loose sweatpants is absolute definition of _comfy._ Wasabi is still down in the lab working on his project as I curl up on my bed with a content expression on my face. I've had such a wonderful time with Tadashi today. Aside from our little date at the waffle house, we also had just a fun time prowling the streets of the city to give Hiro some space to work on his project. We talked about various things. Ghosts. Hiro. Dimensional theories. Our relationship.

I close my eyes and wonder if I can get some sleep. I need a break from the portal- because programming it is a bitch to do- and sleep is just what the doctor's ordered. Metaphorical doctor of course. Though my mind drifts to various things- mostly Tadashi. Mostly about things we can, yet haven't yet done, do with each other. _To_ each other. I think about what he said about sharing clothes and hum a bit with a small smirk at the images that come to mind.

A small shiver runs down my spine in a familiar sensation. Damn hormones are getting the best of me. I've slept with a lot of people and done a lot of different things, but with Tadashi… I'm not going to do anything he doesn't want to do.

But at this point, the idea of sleep is right out the window.


	39. Chapter Thirty-Eight

**Eyyy hope you guys enjoy the chapter! Next chapter will be updated on Saturday as usual. But this chapter, oh man, _this_ is where things get a bit more _interesting._ Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT**

* * *

 _ **A Few Months Later**_

 _ **Hiro Hamada**_

My hands are trembling a bit as I push the large blue trash bin that's filled with my creation. I'd never admit that I'm nervous, but it's hard not to be. There are so many people here and I'm not exactly the oldest or brightest or… anything really. I know I'm a genius, but there are people who've already had more experience than me. What if I don't get chosen? I briefly glance toward my friends and brothers (plural because at this point, Danny is practically my brother too. Plus he's Tadashi's boyfriend so at some point if the two ever married, then he'd legally be my brother anyway). Tadashi walks beside me, giving me a comforting smile. Danny is on the other side, two bins with one stacked on top of the other roll in front of him. He pushes them with ease with one hand. The other hand pushes another set of two. Show off.

"Wow, there's some pretty cool tech here," Tadashi chimes, "...Are you nervous?"

"Please," I scoff, "You're talking to an ex-bot fighter. It takes a lot more than this to shake me."

Totally not nervous. Not a chance. There's a lump forming in my throat that I have to swallow down, but I'm… I'm not going to admit that I'm nervous.

"He's totally nervous," Danny chuckles, causing Honey Lemon to giggle.

"Am not," I protest weakly.

"Don't be nervous," Honey Lemon coos, "Your tech is amazing- tell him GoGo!"

"Stop whining, woman up."

She pops her bubble gum with that statement, but all my protests about not being nervous fall on deaf ears. Danny winks at me slightly, letting me know that he's just teasing but I'm not sure about the others.

"What do you need, little man," Wasabi offers, "Deodorant? A fresh pair of underpants? I come prepared."

Okay- _ew._ I resist the urge to shiver as we all enter the backstage area and park all of the bins by the curtains near the stage. Any minute now, it's going to be my turn to go up there. And speak. In front of a lot of people. Fred plops down on the edge of the hidden section of the stage,

"I haven't done laundry in six months. One pair lasts me four days. I go front, I go back, I go inside-out and then I go front-and-back… It's called recycling."

I don't try to hide my shiver of disgust that time and Wasabi looks like he's about to puke. Even GoGo comments on Fred's slightly unhygienic habit while Tadashi just gives him a thumbs up,

"That is disgusting, but amazing."

"Don't encourage him," Danny gags, nudging Tadashi lightly, "His head is big enough as it is."

Before we have a chance to continue our conversation, the lights dim and a voice announcer calls my name. Crap. This is it. My hands shake slightly as everyone wishes me good luck and I try my best to give them reassuring smiles, though Danny and Tadashi only share knowing looks as if they know how nervous I am. Honey Lemon snaps a selfie of all of us together and Danny even goes as far as putting up a peace sign and putting his free hand around Tadashi's shoulders.

It's not long before nearly everyone but my two brothers are with me. I'm slightly reassured by their cheers of encouragement, but there's still this unsettling feeling in my gut. My _whole future_ depends on this. If I make one mistake, it's game over. And what if I do get in? What if I get in and mess the scholarship up? What if I get bad grades and get kicked out? This school can be everything I've ever dreamed. Allow me to build _anything_. I can't loose that.

"...Hey, what's wrong," Tadashi speaks to me softly, leaning down my level and I can feel Danny clasp a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"I just… really want to go here," I say softly.

"You got this," Tadashi and Danny end up saying in sync, both of them patting me gently on the back.

As Tadashi begins to leave, Danny lingers a brief moment longer. He lowers himself to my level and looks me in the eyes, his gaze intense enough to make me know that whatever he's about to say is something to take to heart.

"Remember Hiro," Danny says, "Your future is what you make of it."

His voice is like steel. It's the most serious I've ever seen him before, but just in a flash, it's gone as he smiles like the goofy brother he is and ruffles my hair,

"Now go get 'em tiger."

Despite his words and even Tadashi's, I end up heading onto the stage with the microphone clasped closely to my chest, my hands shaking as my shoulders hunch over, making me appear smaller than I am. My eyes are a bit wide with nerves and my breathing is hitched and uneven as I find myself standing center-staged.

"Uhh hi, my name is Hiro," I wince as the microphone gives some feedback before continuing, "Sorry… My name is Hiro Hamada. I've been working on something I think is pretty cool… I hope you like it..."

I put on the neurotransmitter. I take the small mircobot out of my pocket and proudly hold it up,

"This is a mircrobot!"

One man in the audience leaves, making me falter slightly before my eyes go to my family and friends. Danny and Tadashi are both giving me signals to breath and take it easy. Taking their advice, I take a deep breath and continue on with more confidence,

"It doesn't look like much but when it links up with the rest of its pals…."

With a simple thought, it doesn't take long for all of the other microbots to swarm in, making their way through the crowd like some sort of tidal wave and joining me up on stage. I release the small microbot, allowing it to join with the others. I notice that more people have caught onto my project, gathering around the stage with cheers and applause of their own, building my confidence up as I continue.

"-Things get a little more interesting. Microbots are controlled with this neurotransmitter," I take it off and allow them to fall before putting it back on, "I think of what I want them to do and they do it."

A waving hand forms in my mind and instantly the microbots form just that, waving at the crowd as I smile, my chest puffing up with pride. There's a strut in my step as I face the crowd,

"The applications of this tech is limitless. Construction- what used to take teams of people working for months or years-"

The microbots swarm together and begin to form the building I have in mind as they move up to the top of it,

"-Can now be accomplished by one person…. And that's just the beginning."

My chest swells with pride as I see the gathering, engaged crowd around me. I've caught their attention and more so, they genuinely seem interested in my tech. Oh man, this could be it. This could really mean getting in. This could open the door to my future!

"How about transportation," I step off the ledge of the building and allow the microbots to move across the room, "Microbots can move anything, anywhere with ease."

The swarm moves me upside down from the ceiling by my ankles, allowing me to give a swift high five to Tadashi. For a moment, I falter when I notice that Danny has disappeared and gone off somewhere. Noticing my look, Tadashi just gives me a small sheepish shrug, signaling he's not sure where Danny went either. I know that Danny wouldn't just leave me without any reason- he's a good guy like that. I can't help but feel a bit sad. But still, the show must go on and my whole future is riding on this so I can't let the disappearance of one person let me down.

"If you can think it, the microbots can do it. The only limit is your imagination. Microbots!"

I land back on the stage with ease, my chest heaving with heavy, deep breaths as I face the crowd with a big grin on my face and my arms spread wide. They erupt into applause and I notice that Danny has reappeared into the audience, whispering something to Tadashi in a frantic manner briefly before he turns toward the stage and gives me a huge smile, making sure to the be the only one in the audience who makes the most noise for me, cheering as loud as he can.

The second I get off the stage, people still cheering, my friends and family rush over to me. Tadashi and Danny give me a fist bump explosion handshake with pride, telling me at how proud they are of me. The others follow suit quickly, gushing over how well I did and hugging me tightly.

"Where did you go," I whisper to Danny as they others continue to cheer, causing him to make a face.

"Saw someone I know," he explains, "Long story short, he's not a nice guy. Lost track of him in the crowd though."

"Hiro," Honey Lemon's cheers drown out our conversation before I can ask Danny any more questions, "that was amazing!"

I see Tadashi briefly parts to whisper to Danny, who whispers back frantically, probably discussing about where Danny went. I briefly catch the word _fruitloop_ in the mix of the conversation, but I'm unsure.

"Ah yes, that was amazing," an unfamiliar voice chimes, "Your tech could be revolutionary."

"Alistair Krei," I whisper as I turn to see his face.

Alistair isn't some average joy. He's a millionaire. Billionaire even. A technological genius. He makes money every second from just _talking_ to people, I bet…. So why is here talking to me? Despite my own excitement over meeting someone like Alistair, I can see that Tadashi isn't too happy either. Danny clasps my shoulder tightly, his eyes looking over Alistair critically as if he doesn't trust him.

"May I," he takes one of the microbots, "I want your microbots at Krei Tech."

My eyes get wide. He's kidding, right? There's no way a man as famous and rich as Alistair Krei wants my microbots at his company. This could be huge. I whisper a slight _shut up_ in disbelief, but don't get a chance to answer him as Professor Callaghan walks up with narrowed eyes,

"He's right. Your microbots are an inspired piece of tech," the Professor says, "You can continue to develop them or you can sell them to a man whose guided by his own self interests..."

A small conflicting feeling settles in my stomach as the two bicker about what I should do. It takes all the strength I have to say no to Krei and I'm so distraught about whether or not I made the right choice that it's Danny who gets my microbot away from Krei before he walks off with it, leaving me and my brothers alone. We all share slightly unnerved looks from that exchange, but before I can comment on it, Danny gains our attention as he looks toward someone else,

" _Vlad,"_ he hisses.

There's so much venom in his voice, so much pure _hatred_ that it takes me off guard. Everyone looks a bit surprised, their eyes wide as they look to Danny. Even Tadashi clasps Danny's shoulder in a comforting manner, unsure what to say or do. Though Danny isn't focused on anyone but who he's staring at. There's such a burning _hate_ in his eyes that I'm not even sure if the person in front of me is Danny. Danny doesn't get angry- not like this. He looks downright _murderous._ As if whomever he's angry just takes one wrong step, he'd kill them without a second's hesitation.

I'm not sure what scares me more. The fact that Danny's like this or the fact that the guy whose making Danny like this is heading straight toward us. He's older. Older than the Professor or Krei. His hair is gray-white and pulled into a tight ponytail. I'm surprised that a guy who looks like he's like a hundred even has that much hair. He wears a snappy suit, looking slightly out of place in the sea of people with jeans and casual shirts. He walks with a cane and a slight limp, hinting at a degenerating health. Yet there's something in his eyes. A steeliness and hatred that looks out of place. Other worldly. Unsettling.

I can't help but back away from him slightly as the man walks toward us, his head head high as if he owns the world. A glance to the others tell me that they are just as unnerved by his presence as I am. Though Danny doesn't seem unsettled. He just looks _angry._ His stance is tense as he takes a step forward toward the man, pushing me and Tadashi behind him slightly in a protective manner.

"Vladimir Masters," Danny spits, "Never thought I'd see your old ass up and about around here… I thought I made it clear to stay the hell away from me?"

Vladimir Masters? One of the richest, if not _the_ richest men in the world? Known for being exclusive and mysterious? Who just appeared basically out of nowhere in the business world and disappeared just as quickly about two or so years ago? It's hard not to know the name when that's all that's talked about in the papers and on every talk show there is. _This_ is the guy Danny knows? The one he ran off to find or talk to or whatever?

Fred seems a bit startled himself, whispering a slight _woah._ The other mutter a bit to themselves and Tadashi goes to pull Danny back, but Danny stands firmly, not budging a single inch as he stares Vlad down. Vlad seems like he could care less, waving off Danny's comment,

"Oh come now, Daniel, you should know by now that I have much more on my mind than just watching over you. I'm a businessman too, you know? And that microbot is a very interesting piece of tech."

He eyes the microbot in Danny's hand and Danny hands it off to me without a second thought, never backing down or looking away from Vlad as he continues to glare. A small growl emits from his throat and Vlad sighs slightly shaking his head,

"Oh very well, I suppose money can't buy you everything- after all, it never bought you."

He leaves without another word. It's strange that he doesn't sound too concerned about the microbots, not even disappointed. He just waves it all off as if he's going to get it eventually anyway. But I suppose that's how most rich guys act. Not that I'd ever give my tech to someone like him. Anyone who gets Danny this upset is not a good guy- not by far.

For a brief moment, however, I swear that Vlad and Professor Callaghan pass each other in the crowd with knowing, familiar looks.

* * *

By the time that Professor Callaghan lets me know that I'm in, Danny's already disappeared again. He didn't give any explanation about Vlad- I doubt that he would. He just gave us a brief _I need to calm down_ before leaving, heading off in the direction of the gardens with his hands shaking. Whatever Vlad did, it had to be bad. I mean _really_ bad for Danny to be _this_ upset at it. For a brief moment, I wonder if Tadashi and I should follow him, but Tadashi just shakes his head,

"He needs to be alone," he whispers, leading me away from the group and toward the balcony as the others head off with Aunt Cass to the cafe for free food.

Tadashi leads me with a hand on my back, a smile comforting smile on my face. I know I should be happy I got in. A part of me is overjoyed. But my mind still drifts back to Danny. He's such a good guy. Calm, level-headed, funny. He's mischievous. Loves pranks and witty banter. But he's not short-tempered. He's not an angry guy.

"You're still worried about Danny, aren't you," Tadashi whispers as we settle at the edge of the balcony, "...I'm worried too, ya know? And I'll be sure to talk to him later about it because right now, he just needs some space."

"...You really like him, don't you 'Dashi," I can't help but whisper, causing him to give me a small smile.

"Yeah, I do, who knows? Maybe one day it'll go into something more… You like him too, don't you? I mean- obviously not in a romantic way but..."

He trials off slightly causing me to snort, but it's hard to laugh when I know Danny is still out there. My hands clutch the edge of the balcony tightly. I can see the entire garden from here and in the distance, I can make out Danny's form as he shouts into the sky and punches a few tress. Ouch. That's going to hurt. I rub my hands a bit from just seeing it. I wonder if Tadashi saw it too- though I'm sure he did.

"He's… He's like my brother," I explain, "No- he _is_ my brother. Just as much as you are. And it hurts that he's so upset… I know his parents died more recently than ours did. I know his girlfriend cheated on him or something. I know that his ex-boyfriend died. I know he doesn't have it easy, I know he's been through a lot, but he's not… He's not an angry person. Not like that. That was so… vengeful."

I shiver slightly causing Tadashi's expression to soften slightly as he pulls me close,

"Hey, he'll be okay. He's Danny…. And tonight's supposed to be about you, big shot."

He gives me a nudge and a smile, causing me to snort as I pull away from him with a big, cocky grin on my face,

"I know what you're going to say," I point out, before lowering my voice in my best Tadashi impression, " _I should be proud of myself for using my gift for something important."_

Tadashi rolls his eyes,

"I was going to tell you your fly was down for the whole show."

I snort, muttering a _haha very funny._ But a glance down tells me that he's telling the truth. My zipper is down. And probably was for the whole show. For a yelp, I zip it back up before giving Tadashi a swift gentle hit to the shoulder, causing him to laugh for a moment before the silence over comes us. We don't get many moments like this anymore. With him spending time with Danny and going to college and me just disappearing to join bot fights, we don't get nearly as many brotherly moments as we used to. It's almost nice.

"...Welcome to Nerd School," Tadashi welcomes me warmly, a fond smile on his face causing me to give him a small smile in return.

"Thanks… I uh… I wouldn't be here without you… So thanks for not giving up on me, I guess."

Now it's getting slightly too touchy-feely with emotions for a brotherly moment, more so than I like. But I'm saved from talking anymore when a loud siren goes off, bringing our attention back to the building. We run back as quick as we can to see the entire building on fire. The flames shoot up toward the sky and I can't help but stop and stare in horror…. What could have caused this? It's… it's just a large fire. What about the people?

"Professor Callaghan is still in there," one of the female students shouts to Tadashi, causing him to snap toward the building.

My eyes widen. _No. No!_ I've already lost my parents, I won't loose him too. I grab him by the jacket, pulling him back, but he shakes his head, his eyes wide with fear.

"I have to go, he's still in there. Someone has to save him."

He slips out of my grasp and runs toward the building. I try to keep up to him, but I can't. I'm so focused on him that I barely even see a familiar blur run toward Tadashi.

"Hiro, get back! I'll get him!"

 _Danny. No. No no no no no no…._ I can't lose both of them. My voice dies in my throat and I'm not even able to scream as I see them both run into the building. My feet try to run after them, but my feet stumble over each other, causing me to fall at the base of the stairs just as it explodes, sending me backwards toward the ground. My ears are ringing and my vision's blurry. My heart is pounding rapidly in my chest. There's a pain shooting up my back from the impact. _No no no no.. They can't be gone, they just can't be._

Yet I'm still able to see Danny and Tadashi, standing there just within in the flames, relief flooding through my system that they're alive, with a faint green glow around them before I black out entirely.


	40. Chapter Thirty-Nine

**Alright so I'm a tad late with this update. Mostly because my entire Saturday was spent away- work lasted from about seven in the morning till about five-ish so that's ten hours of the day gone. Plus going out with the family. I haven't had a chance to get onto the computer until about eleven (at night that is) so anyway here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoy!**

 **Things will be different than the movie, but it does follow along with most of the movie's plot just at a slower, slightly more realistic pace. Please review~**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

My hands are twitching nervously at my sides as I sit on the chair by Tadashi's bed. Hiro's already been discharged, having only a few minor scrapes from the explosion and a bad knock on the head that should only leave him slightly dazed with a bad headache for a while. I've been discharged- against everyone's wishes- so that leaves me free to stay right here by Tadashi. Right where I need to be because I can't leave him. _I just can't._ He needs me right now and I need to be right here for him.

The medics were baffled when they found us- I'm sure a lot of nurses and doctors are still pretty baffled. A few people on the news have dared to even call it a miracle when, moments after running into the building, it exploded. Yet, we were found at the bottom of the steps, _alive._ By the time I put the shield down and the medics had arrived, my injuries had already mostly healed over, leaving me with a few minor burns that should be gone at this point. My concerns, however, aren't with my own health. It's for Tadashi's. And Hiro's for that matter- seeing him only a few feet away from me on the ground gave me quite a scare. Thankfully Hiro only has a few scrapes and a mild concussion- hence the early discharge… Tadashi…. Tadashi isn't that lucky.

My eyes sweep over his body as he rests quietly on the bed, breathing too slow for my comfort, covered in various bandages. A few small third degree burns. Multiple scrapes. Multiple other burns of varying sizes and degrees. It could have been avoided if I had just been faster. My hands clench at my sides as my mind flashes back to the Battle of Amity- dead bodies littering the ground like daises, patching up many burns and broken bones of friends and family and strangers… I let out an uneven breath as I try to steady myself, trying to focus on reality rather than the past.

 _And to make it all worse,_ my lips turn into a snarl, _Vlad is here._ I had to miss Hiro's presentation- or at least part of it- because my ghost sense went off. I got a glimpse of him, but he disappeared before I could run into him. Then he approached me. Approached _Hiro._ _Tadashi._ If we didn't meet in a public place- if Hiro wasn't looking to me wanting to know what to do as I'm the unofficial leader/big brother – then I would have killed him. Ended him. _Hurt him._ I still will given the chance and a part of me regrets not ending him sooner. I can feel my eyes flash red just thinking about it, an icy chill running down my spine as my hands shake at my sides and a darker side of me, a darker side that I rarely ever feel anymore, a side that I briefly believed to be gone, begins to claw at my insides as my stomach turns. My tongue runs over my teeth a bit, vaguely noting that my canines feel slightly sharper than normal.

It takes me a full ten minutes before I can shove that darker side of me down, but even as I manage to open my eyes without them flashing red, I think about Vlad. Next time I see him, he will not be so lucky. He's the _real_ reason Tadashi is in his current state. Him and Callaghan- that filthy, _backstabbing bastard._ I knew Callaghan was bad news. I felt in my gut. But never did I imagine him doing something like _that._ With _Vlad_ , of all people.

* * *

 _I run into the burning building, not even feeling the flames nip at my skin. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I protect. Tadashi's in there. So is Callaghan if what that woman said is right. I may not like the guy but I figure I have to save him too. Though my first priority is Tadashi. My core is screaming at me to protect him, to shield him away from the world, hug him tight and never let go._

 _The second I'm inside the building, my eyes adjust to the flames and smoke to be able to see. For a moment, flashes of the war go through my mind causing me to tense as I freeze up. But the sound of coughing brings me back to reality. I spot Tadashi with ease, the flames are tearing his skin apart like paper and he's coughing up in a vain attempt to breathe air. He's hunched over, barely able to move, but he tries to walk, tries to search for Callaghan even in his condition. A part of me is proud of him for wanting to continue on to save another person. The other part of me wants to tear him apart myself for doing something this stupid._

 _He turns and we meet eyes for a brief moment. I can see the panic and worry flash across his face. Even hough he's coughing and burning, he's gesturing his hands for me to leave before it's too late. He doesn't want me getting hurt, but I don't want to see him hurt either._

" _I'm not leaving you," I yell over the loud, cackling flames._

 _I'm by his side in a second, wrapping my arms around him to protect him from the flames just as he collapses to the ground, blacking out from the smoke. I throw the ghost shield up to protect us both and that's when, from the corner of my eyes, I see something. Black movements making their way through the flames. Microbots. Hiro's microbots to be exact. I turn my head to catch a glimpse of Callaghan with the headband on his head, controlling the mirobots to form a shield around him. If he doesn't give me the creeps, if I don't have this feeling in my gut, then I may have just thought that he was using whatever was around him to save him- in this case, that's the microbots._

 _But then I see Vlad. Floating a bit off the ground, he stands beside Callaghan. He's eying me with scorn, his ghost form glowing brilliantly within in the flames that swerve around him. Unlike his human form, he requires no cane to walk with. Maybe it's because I'm more powerful than him (thus making my attacks cause more damage), or maybe it's because I just hurt him that bad that causes him to walk with a limp as Masters. But his eyes are narrowed at me and Tadashi, but a quick glare that causes my eyes to flash red make him back off. Even if slightly._

 _Then, with a blink of an eye, both him and Callaghan are gone._

* * *

I was barely able to transport us out in time and into safety before the building exploded on itself. But the fact still remains that Vlad and Callaghan are apparently working together. Or maybe Callaghan is just getting possessed. But I highly doubt that because I would have been able to sense it. My hands clench at my sides as I grind my teeth. It's bad enough that Vlad is back. Plotting something apparently. Something I know that I will have to stop even if it kills me. But what does Callaghan gain from this? Why does he (or they) need Hiro's microbots? Is Vlad blackmailing him? Threatening him? Promising fortune and fame?

"Danny," Aunt Cass' voice brings me back to reality as I feel her hand clasp my shoulder, "Don't worry too much. He's Tadashi. He'll be okay."

I glance to her to see that she's staring at Tadashi rather than me with tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. It sounds as if she's trying to convince herself that he'll be okay rather than me…. A glance around the room shows that nearly everyone is looking at Tadashi with that same forlorn, _he has to be okay_ face. Except Hiro. I've expected him to join me at Tadashi's side, to come closer so that I can hug him close and tell him that his big brother is going to be okay. But instead, he's shrinking away to the back of the room, looking at Tadashi with a saddened expression, but he glances at me with a bit more of a fire behind his eyes.

Does he blame me for not being able to save Tadashi? To not get there in time? My heart drops with guilt as I force myself to look away from him and focus back on Tadashi. The weight on my chest doesn't last that much longer as I can't help but nearly jump with joy when Tadashi shifts on the bed with a small groan. Everyone is at the bed in a second, scrambling to make sure he's okay, but I manage to hold him gently so that he doesn't ruin the bandages or make any of his injuries worse.

"Tadashi," I mutter, "Tadashi can you hear me? Can you open your eyes or speak at all?"

He lets out another groan. I can see Aunt Cass biting her nails from the corner of my eyes. Hiro's moved from the back of the room to beside me, his hands over my own as we gently keep him from hurting himself more. The flinch Hiro makes from the contact doesn't go unnoticed. But slowly, Tadashi's eyes flicker open. His face seems to light up as our eyes meet and my heart flutters seeing him awake as relief floods over my body.

"H-Hey guys," his voice is weak and sounds rough and scratchy, "C-Can you let g-go of me?"

Hiro and I snap away from him in a second before scrambling to get him some water, bringing it back to him with caring expressions. I gently lift his chin and slowly help him drink the water before I use a stray tissue to dap at any dribbles that went down his mouth. He takes a few deep breaths, but seems a bit better after drinking some water as he manages to give us a small smile. Man does he look like a wreck. His hair is singed at the edges, making it a bit shorter than it was and closer to the scalp. A small half of his eyebrow was singed off, leaving a small, but not harmful burn mark. A part of his face is covered in bandages, as is the rest of his body.

I share a brief look with everyone else before we all join in on a large group hug, careful of his injuries as we group together. Being the closest to him, I'm able to bury my face into the crook of his neck as my arms gently wrap around him. I'm barely able to recognize the fact that Hiro is careful to not touch me, favoring to hugging Tadashi and partly hugging Honey in the process.

"We're never letting you go," I tease as we hug him, "Because if you do you might do something stupid again~ Really, Tadashi? Running into a burning building? Fred's supposed to be the one with bad ideas, not you."

Fred doesn't even try to deny it, making an _eh that's true_ face with a shrug as we all let go of Tadashi. Aunt Cass lingers on the hug even after all of us have let go for a moment before she parts with a quick _oh I have to go tell the doctor you're up_ before rushing out.

"So," GoGo speaks up, looking to me with a quirked eyebrow, "If he's stupid for running into a burning building, what does that make you? According to everyone, you ran in after him."

I knew that people saw me run in after him, but I was kinda hoping that the gang wouldn't pick up on it. Mostly because I didn't want Aunt Cass for scolding me about it. Yet at GoGo's words, Tadashi's eyes widen slightly and I can see the gears turning in his head as he begins to remember meeting me inside of the building. Though I doubt he remembers seeing Callaghan and Vlad inside of the building considering he passed out.

I rub the back of my neck sheepishly as everyone's attention goes to me,

"Well, I couldn't exactly stand by and do nothing, right?"

I think Tadashi is seriously considering hitting me in the shoulder. And I'm sure he would if not for the IV in his arm and the bandages that limit his movement. I give him a slightly cheeky, _ha you can't hit me_ grin when his arm twitches, but the grin is wiped off my face when Honey Lemon is the one to smack me upside the head, causing me to tumble a bit as I look at her wide eyes, a mock hurt expression.

"Honey, I'm hurt~"

She makes a face at me, but it seems to be more of a concerned look than an actual angry look. It strongly reminds me of the times Mom would scold me for doing something I shouldn't be doing because I would have gotten hurt- like taking things out of the oven when I was a kid, sneaking down in the lab, and trying to cook things without supervision. In fact, Honey looks a lot like Mom did. That same look, the same finger waving in the air in a scolding manner with pursed lips.

"Danny, that was very stupid of you," she scolds, "you could have gotten hurt! Or gotten the both of you killed!"

"-But I didn't," I interject, "Risking my life to save someone else isn't that big of a thing. He's alive and that's what matters."

Honey Lemon recoils slightly, a thoughtful, slightly concerned expression on her face that speaks of some sort of conflict. But I've made my point. Even if the others are sharing unsure expressions and looking back and forth between Tadashi and I with uncertainty. Even Tadashi seems a bit shocked as if he doesn't know what to make of the situation. His eyes are sad and almost moist. Thankfully, I'm saved from more awkward conversations as Wasabi claps his hands to get everyone's attention,

"Alright, that's enough socializing for today- he needs his rest so we don't we all raid the hospital cafeteria?"

Any lingering sadness is mildly put at ease as Fred lets out a cheer at the mention of food.

"Yes," Fred pumps his fist in the air, "Food!"

He runs out of door before anyone can stop him. Honey Lemon runs after him, trying to explain to him that it's not actually free, with GoGo slowly following suit without any hurry as she pops her bubblegum. Wasabi lingers behind for a moment, giving both Tadashi and I a _I got this_ look before he turns to Hiro,

"Hey lil' man," he ruffles Hiro's hair, "Come on, I'll buy you anything you want from the cafeteria."

Hiro frowns slightly, ducking his head low as he hunches over, crossing his arms. He doesn't make any effort to move from Tadashi's side nor does he even glance at me as he scoots a bit farther from me.

"Not hungry," he mumbles, but Wasabi isn't fazed as he continues on,

"Then I'll just have to raid the gift shop without your help- ah well."

He turns on his heels and begins to leave the room. After a moment, Hiro's ears perk up and he sits a bit straighter. Tadashi gives him a small _go ahead_ nod that sends Hiro on his way, calling after Wasabi to wait for him. It takes a moment, but only when we're both sure that no one is around and the door is securely shut do we actually begin to talk. I sit on the edge of Tadashi's bed, right beside him, hovering over him slightly as I gently mess with his hair with hooded eyes.

"You actually ran into the building after me," Tadashi mutters, "I'm not sure if that's brave or stupid."

"What about stupidly brave," I offer, a small smile on my lips.

He snorts a bit, but doesn't laugh or smile as he gently shakes his head,

"Danny," he warns, causing me to wince.

"I know, I know," I sigh, "But I can't apology for running into a burning building to save your life. Because I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I just- I saw you run in and I was so _terrified_ Tadashi. I lost my friends, my family, _everyone,_ and I promised myself that I will not let anyone else die on me. And I just- I can't lost you, Tadashi. I just can't. If I lost you, I don't know what I'd do..."

I trail off slightly, my voice cracking as the tears swell up in the corners of my eyes. I can feel my aura pulsing and through my blurry vision, I can see wisps of our auras breaking off and blending together. I can feel our bond growing, becoming closer, more together. One stray break of his aura bleeds into my body in a way that causes a shiver of electricity to shoot down my spine. He grabs my hand tightly, rubbing his thumb over the back of my hand absently as we lock eyes.

"You won't lose me," Tadashi whispers.

A part of me knows that he can't promise that- not when Vlad is nearby. Not when Vlad _and_ Callaghan are planning something. Not when his very life is still in danger until Vlad, and by extension Callaghan, is taken down for good.

* * *

I refuse to leave the hospital, even when I want to go find Vlad and figure out what he and his new accomplice is up to, when Tadashi is still here recovering. The others have already left to go home, but it was done reluctantly before they finally admitted that it was getting pretty late. Aunt Cass is fast asleep on a chair in the corner, softly snoring. I briefly worry that she won't be able to sleep that well in a busy, noisy hospital, but it quickly becomes clear to me that Aunt Cass is an _extremely_ heavy sleeper.

Tadashi, however, is still partially awake. As is Hiro. But I'm not sure how long we'll be awake for- not when they keep dozing off. Tadashi is laying down on the bed, occasionally he closes his eyes and rests for a few minutes before his eyes are open again. He occasionally mumbles Callaghan's name under his breath because, like everyone else, he believes Callaghan to be dead. Hiro's head slides down as his eyes droop before he snaps himself back away with a wild shake, a few times he even lightly slaps his cheeks to stay awake. I'm the only one among us that's not even slightly tired and how could I be? I don't think I'll be able to sleep at all with everything that's going on- Callaghan and Vlad mostly, but also with Tadashi still recovering.

"I just hope Vlad isn't going to make a move soon," I whisper under my breath, barely even audible.

Hiro seems to shoot up a bit, frowning with furrowed brows, mouthing the word _Vlad_ to himself for a moment before he turns to me. It must be the first time since the presentation that he's even openly paid attention to me. But I'd take the ignoring me/cold shoulder thing over the look he's giving me now. It's just so hard, focused, cold that it makes me shift a bit in my spot.

"Speaking of Vlad," Hiro asks bluntly, "How do you know him? What's with all that hostility?"

I knew that someone who ask something at some point. But the question still makes me hiss with anger as my fists clench, my knuckles tightening. I glance briefly toward Aunt Cass, but she's still snoring away with no signs of hearing us or being awake.

"Vlad," I answer, my voice straining to stay calm and steady, "Vlad is… He was a family friend. Friends of my parents actually, back when they were in college."

Tadashi looks a bit confused, his eyes becoming slightly hooded as he tries to understand why I would have hatred for a so-called 'family friend.' Hiro frowns slightly to himself.

"-He was there when they made the prototype for the portal in college- it was a small thing, could barely even fit a hand through it if it worked- except it backfired," I explain, "He got hit with a blast of ectoplasm and various other chemicals-"

Tadashi takes in a sharp breath, whispering _how did he even live_ under his breath. Hiro just continues to frown, a thoughtful look on his face. I manage to calm myself enough that my fists relax and I gently grab the bed rail with one hand.

"-He survived," I let out a small _unfortunately_ under my breath, "But he didn't talk to my parents for a long time afterward- blamed them for the accident and all that. But when I was fourteen, my parents and him ended up meeting up again for a college reunion. They took me and my sister with them. My sister thought he was okay, but I hated him on the spot. Dad adored the guy, thought of him like a brother even after some pretty bad things that Vlad said about him. Vlad, however, hated my father and had a creepy obsession with my mom."

I let out a shiver, not hiding my disgust at that while the others blanched as well. Hiro's frown deepens.

"I don't believe you," he finally says, "...Or at least not entirely. You were pretty mad at him for it just be about him hitting on your mom and hating your father."

I scowl at his words, my hands clenching back into tight fists. I can feel the metal of the bed rail denting in my hand and force myself to get some more control so I don't break it entirely. But I don't let go of it. I still have a vice grip around it as the other hand tightly fists my jeans.

"Yeah, you're right. I hate him for a lot of things- trying to bribe me to leave my parents and come live with him so I can be his son, threatening to kill my dad, actually trying to kill my dad, the list goes on. The thing about Vlad is that he's manipulative- when he wants something, and for a long time, that something was me and my mom- he does anything to get it without a care for morals, humanity, or hell, even laws. But the worst thing is he's behind the gas leak that destroyed my whole town, killing nearly everyone."

My eyes narrow as I grind my teeth, letting out a strained breath through them. Tadashi has a hand over my fist, whispering for me to take deep breaths and calm down, but there are tears in his eyes as they gleam in understanding. Hiro seems a bit surprised, openly gaping at me before he covers it up and returns to giving me a slightly cold shoulder, but he continues to eyes me curiously through the corner of his eyes. For a moment, I'm sure he even eyes the fist still around the rail.

"Have you pressed charges? Surely they can do something," Tadashi meekly offers, but I scoff.

"Really? And win a case against one of the richest assholes on Earth? Vlad pays off judges, police, lawyers, _anyone and everyone._ If they don't take a bribe, he has… other means… of getting through to them. I tried to take him down before. Legally and by other means. The guy doesn't walk with a limp because of old age," I spat, not explaining farther on what I mean.

When it comes to Vlad, I don't have a filter. I can't stop myself or limit myself of how much information they're finding out. When it finally processes in my mind that I'm giving out a lot of information about Vlad, I tense and close my mouth, my lips thinning. I don't want to give too much away. I can't have anyone find out his ghostly secret- or mine (any past thoughts of telling them leave me- it'd be too dangerous). He'd kill them for sure. I can protect them, but with how angry I am right now, I doubt I'd be able to keep a sensible mind in any fight. Deciding that it's best for me to cool off myself, I think of where I can go to get away- no where too far, but I'm sure the hospital roof would be okay...

None of them seem too pleased with the information I've given them. They seem shifty and uneasy or even sick at what I'm saying. Tadashi goes to reach for my hand again, but I move it out of his grasp, ignoring the hurt look he sends my way as I look straight toward Hiro,

"If you see Vlad, _call me._ If I don't answer my phone, _yell and scream_. Don't talk to him. If you can, get away by whatever means necessary. He's a manipulative, dangerous, vile bastard. He wants your microbots and he'd kill anyone to get to them."

I pause for a moment, my anger flaring as I sense my eyes briefly flash red at my words and the memories that flood through my mind.

"I need some fresh air. I'll be back whenever."

No one dares to stop me from leaving.

* * *

 _ **Hiro Hamada**_

* * *

I don't know where Danny left, but every second he's gone is making me more and more nervous. I can't help but fiddle with my thumbs with a small frown on my face. His words about Vlad echo through my mind. _'He wants your microbots and he'd kill anyone to get to them._ _'_ He couldn't be _that_ dangerous, could he? There's no way a single man could do as much damage as Danny said. To actually kill an entire town? Was the gas leak really his fault? Fear bubbles in my chest a bit. The idea of one man being that dangerous unsettles me. If he's really so willing to do anything to get to my microbots, was it him that killed Callaghan and started the fire to get the microbots? After the fire, I didn't find any remains of them which is strange because they were made to be very durable. It was like they disappeared.

I feel like I'm going to be sick just thinking about it. Tadashi could have died in that fire if it wasn't for Danny. My big brother nearly died because some guy decided he wanted my microbots. Does that make this my fault? My breathing hitches as my heart beats a bit more rapidly. Is this whole thing my fault? Would it have been avoided if I just didn't make my microbots? My mouth turns dry and I lick at my lips.

And what about Danny? He's the one that saved Tadashi, which is why it's so conflicting when I feel like he's not telling us everything. It's like he's holding back. And I _know_ what I saw that night. I _know_ I saw a green dome covering them, something almost otherworldly, _ghostly_ even. I know Danny said not all ghosts are evil so he's bound to be friends with some of them. So was it a ghost friend of his that decided to save them? Or was it… was it my parents? Are they ghosts and they decided to save Tadashi and Danny? My hands tremble slightly. I know Danny knows the answer to all my questions. I know that he's the one who knows what really caused that green dome and as much as I want to think that maybe it was my parents, I know that just can't be the case because Danny is involved.

Danny is… He's a great guy, admittedly, and I can't think of anyone who makes a better big brother than him aside from Tadashi. And I know for a fact no one makes Tadashi happier than Danny does- maybe even more so than me and Aunt Cass. But it just _hurts_ knowing Danny, even with everything he's told us, just seems so secretive. Mysterious. Holding back. Does he not trust us? It's a huge blow to my heart thinking that the guy I think of and love as a brother doesn't trust me enough to tell me what's really going on with him.

The door to Tadashi's hospital room opens, causing me to whip my head in that direction. Danny enters, looking worse for wear. His breathing is uneven, but still quiet as ever. His hair is frazzled and all over the place. He plops down on a chair by Tadashi's bed with a tired sigh, glancing briefly to Tadashi- whose still sleeping soundly. Aunt Cass, however, left to go sleep at the cafe after I convinced her that Tadashi and I would be okay alone (and that eventually Danny would be back).

"Had to blow off some steam," Danny takes a long, deep breath, leaning his back back as he closes his eyes.

I look to his knuckles, which seem sore and are slightly red. There are few fresh nicks on his hands as well. Scars that I don't remember being there before are lightly fading on the parts of his palm that I can see. I briefly glance to the rail of Tadashi's bed where a freshly made dent nearly breaks the metal itself. A dent that I _know_ Danny had to have caused.

"Is violence always your way of blowing off steam," I ask easily, raising an eyebrow, "Because I don't know what that poor tree did to you."

I am, of course, referring to the presentation when Danny first saw Vlad only for him to beat it out on a tree in the courtyard's garden. Danny's eyes peak open, looking at me curiously, before he chuckles slightly, not moving from his spot beside Tadashi.

"Yeah, I guess that's not exactly a healthy solution is it," he chuckles, closing his eyes once more as he continue to lean back in the chair.

I have to tread carefully. I don't want Danny getting mad at me-he obviously as a slight anger problem when it comes to certain subjects (which he solves with apparent miss-placed aggression which is a huge problem in itself). Not that I think Danny would hurt me though. I don't think he'd ever hurt me. At least not physically. But the idea of him being angry with me is still unpleasant and painful nonetheless….

"And the bed rail," I trail off, gesturing toward the metal rod, "You must have some serious strength if you can bend metal like that so easily. Makes me wonder what else you can do."

I see him tense. His jaw locks as he squares his shoulders. He goes from a relaxed, almost asleep position to a solider at attention in less than a second. His hands clench at the armrests of the chair as he looks at me. His stare is so intense that I can't help but shift under his gaze. It's as if his eyes look right through me, daring me to say something more and for a moment, I _know_ that his eyes flash a bright, vivid, _glowing_ green. I gulp, but try to stand my ground,

"I k-know that something's going on D-Danny," I cough slightly to try to get rid of my nervous stutter, "I saw a green dome around you and Tadashi when you saved him. I _know_ that I didn't imagine it," I point toward the rail, "And that is real for sure! So just… What's going on, Danny?"

I try to plead him a bit, but he doesn't answer for a solid minute. When he does, his voice is hard, forced and almost pained.

"Nothing's going on Hiro," he strains out, "Just… Forget about it, okay?"

I frown deeply and furrow my brows. A stab of hurt goes through my heart. Even confronting him about it doesn't get me the answers I want or need. He's just lying about it, I _know_ he is. I know what I saw. I know that he's just… he's _lying to me._ Seeing my expression, Danny's face softens and he places a hand on my shoulder,

"Hey, don't worry, okay? I'm okay, you're okay, Tadashi's okay… That's all that matters, right? So just do me a favor and don't ask around about anything. I… I can tell about stuff, later, alright?"

My jaw clenches slightly and I have to force down any witty remark. He won't tell me later. He's lying. Why would he tell the truth later when he can just tell me now? Why doesn't he want me to dig into this or ask around? What is he scared of? Of me finding out what he's hiding? Of me finding out the truth that he doesn't want me to know?

"Fine," I mumble, lying through my teeth.


	41. Chapter Forty

**And so the cavalry shows up- though next chapter is gonna be huuggee (or maybe it isn't- maybe I'm just playin' you, but ya won't know till next week~)**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

 _ **A week later**_

I run my fingers through my hair with another tired sigh as I pace up and down the roof of the hospital. I don't trust myself to wander too far while Tadashi is recovering. I've already made a duplicate to watch over Aunt Cass, Hiro and the others (invisibly) to keep an eye out. And of course, it doesn't help that Hiro hasn't exactly been friendly toward me since our little talk yesterday- in fact, he hasn't even showed up the hospital since then. But duplication can only do so much and only lasts for a certain amount of time. Granted, because of my duplicate I do at least know that Hiro is up to something- he was seen looking through the wreckage of the presentation center and acting very strange. But he's not in trouble and he's not doing anything bad yet. So I have to focus on just protecting him and the others and getting rid of Vlad first. But I need a more permanent solution to watch over everyone…

 _Light bulb._ The solution hits me like a bullet. Granted, this so-called solution could also cause some problems. But for the moment, I need some cavalry by side and this will be the best way to do it. I need to summon Cujo. Except summoning Cujo leaves Ellie and Jazz slightly more vulnerable…. I shake that thought out of my head. Yes, Cujo is there for Ellie's protection. But when it comes down to it, when it comes to _Vlad,_ Jazz can handle herself. She can protect Ellie and herself. She knows how to hide well. I don't expect her to run at Vlad with guns blazing- I could never even ask that of her- and I want her and Ellie to stay in New York to be safe away from Vlad anyway.

I scramble for my phone and dial my sister's number. Impatiently tapping my foot when she doesn't answer right away. When she finally does answer, I cut her off before she can even say hello.

"Jazz," my voice comes out a bit more frantic than I mean for it to, "We have a problem. Like a major one. As in the biggest possible problem we could ever have."

" _Danny,"_ Jazz's voice comes on the other end after a full few seconds of silence, _"Danny what's wrong? What's going on? Did something happen? Did a ghost show up? Do I need to come over there I can book a flight and-"  
_

"-No," I say sharply, almost snapping at her, "You have to stay there. With Ellie. Protect her and don't you dare try to go anywhere or do anything. Lock yourself up with as much anti-ghost stuff you can. Teach James, or Bucky or whatever, or anyone you can trust with those ghost weapons and prepare for the worst. I don't think he'll go after you- not yet- if he even knows where you are."

There is another pause of silence. A more tentative slightly frightened one before her voice comes back on, this time she speaks with no fear, her voice like steel.

" _Danny if Vlad is there,"_ I knew that my sister would know who I was speaking of, but her actually saying his name causes me to suck in a breath as she continues, " _You have to be careful. Call up your allies if you have to."_

I scowl slightly, crinkling up my nose, my eyes gaining a red tint to them that disappears in a blink. I need cavalry, but Cujo (and maybe one or two others I can think of off the top of my head) are discreet enough to watch over everyone. Frostbite isn't exactly a spy. Wulf doesn't even speak in a language they'd understand so if it comes down to an emergency, he wouldn't be able to tell them anything if needed. Clockwork's already helped out and I know he's watching from his tower- he'd intervene if things get dire. Ghostwriter is a _maybe,_ but calling up him a second time to help out is stretching out what truce we have. Youngblood's invisibility only stretches to adults and he's not patient enough to watch over someone.

"I'm calling up Cujo actually," I answer her easily, "I trust you, Jazz. I know that should worse come to worse, Ellie is safer with you there than she is with me here. Especially with Vlad so close. So just, don't be alarmed when Cujo just disappears okay? As for my allies, I'm thinking about it. There's not many that can blend… in..."

As I say those words, it dawns on me. The one ghost whose great at blending at in, despite how twisted his reasons are at times. Someone who knows to not go against me, someone who made a great spy for the Battle. Somehow that I know won't do well against Vlad, but can keep an eye out for him and at the very least, protect from Callaghan.

" _Who you gonna call?"  
_

The quick response of _Ghostbusters_ dies in my throat as I shove the smart-ass comment down. I don't really give her much of an answer, instead opt for just saying that it will be okay, not to come here, and a hasten _goodbye love you_ before hanging up and shoving the phone into my pocket. I take a deep, rather unneeded breath, and rub my hands together in anticipation. _Well. Here goes nothing._ Concentrating on a relatively new power that had developed during the Battle, I raise my hands that glow green with ectoplasm. What begins as almost a portal forming in the air, changes shape, forming a circle with markings and symbols. A glyph. Or as some may call it, a summoning circle.

A small bead of sweat forms on my brow from the concentration required. The thing about summoning is that, aside from the fact that I've rarely if ever used it, it requires for me to know the ghost I'm summoning. It takes a lot of energy on my part, energy that I wouldn't even be using if I didn't need someone to back me up here.

It takes a moment, until finally a familiar green puppy pokes it head from the glyph, similar to how a portal would work, and upon seeing me, jumps directly out of and leaps onto me with a yip. The glyph disappears as I break concentration and land onto the ground with a small thud, a rather heavy small puppy bouncing on my chest as it licks at my face.

"Cujo," I groan, "Off. Now."

He whines, but complies with the command and gets off. A happy look appears on his face as he pants heavily, wagging his tail without a care in the world. I stand back up, a bit unsteadily, and already, I'm a bit out of breath. Damn it. I really need to use this power more often. Even my ghostly wail doesn't drain me this much this quick. Or at least it doesn't anymore. As my hand drapes at my side, Cujo nudges it with concern, causing me to smile and pat his head briefly before I continue on my summoning. The glyph appears a bit more shakily and almost like static, drifts in and out of sight in a jarring manner before finally steadying.

"Cujo, stand down," I say to him, letting him know to not attack the ghost that will soon appear.

It takes only a moment before the ghost I'm summoning appears. His cane sticks through first, waving about in a cautious manner, before finally, he steps through. The red glasses on his face and the tilt of his head are the only indication that he's looking in my direction due to his expressionless face. I let out a sigh and the glyph disappears as I slump my shoulders. The ghost steps forward, briefly turning his head toward Cujo before gently tapping me with his cane.

"Ey, kid, you okay? What's the problem?"

I wave off his concern and I'm eventually I'm able to stand up fully, straightening my back and pushing my shoulders back as I look at him. With one look, he snaps at attention, standing tall, a soldier awaiting orders.

"At ease, Amorpho," I say, causing him to relax, "I called you here because I need your help…. Vlad's returned."

Somehow, even with him lacking a face, I can tell he's unnerved. Maybe from the way he takes an unsure step back. Or the twiddling of his cane. The nervous jittery hand that reaches up to fiddle with his hat. I shake my head slightly and plop down on the ground, opting for sitting after a tiring session.

"Relax, I'm not asking you to fight him. Not directly. I just… I need to find out what he's up to and I can't do that when I have people here that I need to protect. Cujo's going to look after my boyfriend and his aunt- he's recovering in the hospital from one of Vlad now."

Amorpho looks a bit intrigued by that bit of information and I can tell he's just dying to spread that new gossip around the Zone. Should word get out that the Ghost King has a new beau, it's going to be absolute mania in regards of any ghost media. With being dead and in a more isolate dimension, many ghosts don't have anything else to do aside from gossip. Hell, some ghosts even have an obsession with the stuff, or with journalism which almost goes hand-in-hand.

However, the mere mention of Tadashi's current condition- specifically of Vlad being the one putting him there- makes me falter for a moment, my eyes flaring up with red rage as a guttural growl builds in my throat before I shake it off. Though Amorpho's casual, intrigued demeanor changes to a fearful one before returning back normal. I don't blame him for that fearful look- how can I? He, along with a few other ghosts, have seen that side of me. The battle-worn, angry Phantom that has no mercy. The one that broke Vlad's leg. The one that killed many of Vlad's minions without so much as blinking. The one with the red eyes and small elongated canines. The one that didn't quite resemble Dan, but was close enough to unsettle me to my core, but as much it unsettles me, I can't ever seem to control it in time. Not when it's red hot rage led by my obsession to protect.

"I know you can duplicate," I continue, not answering his nonvocal question about my mysteriously new boyfriend or from the surge of anger, "- even if you don't really use it. I need you to keep an eye on my boyfriend's little brother and on my friends at the college. Keep an eye out for Vlad and for his new accomplice."

I reach into my pocket and pull out a wrinkled article from the newspaper that announced Callaghan's death. Amorpho takes the picture with a tilt of his head, a small hum emitting from his form.

"He doesn't really look like much. Vlad really paired up with this guy?"

I stand a bit firmer, a bit straighter, with my arms crossed and the best _don't question me_ look on my face.

"Like I said, I'm looking into things. Just keep an eye out for him or Vlad. Warn me if it's Vlad, _take care of it_ if it's the accomplice- his name's Callaghan by the way. Previous professor at the college I'm attending. Guy's a creep. You'll recognize him from his jarring aura, trust me- it's a very distinguished. Like Vlad's but a hell lot more tame and less evil. My friends will be in the lab at the San Franskoyo Institute of Technology- they'll be grouped together. It's a unique bunch, can't miss them- big guy named Wasabi, a small intimidating girl that looks almost like Sam named GoGo, a tall Latino named Honey, and a guy who has a vague resemblance to Shaggy from Scooby-Doo, ironically, his name's Fred. Send a duplicate to watch over Cass- she's the owner of the cafe on fifth street, the cat themed one, you can't miss it. Hiro, my boyfriend's little brother, will be there too on the upstairs level. Do not engage with them directly, do not let them know who or what you are and do not let them know your connection to me. Most importantly, stay disguised or invisible at all times and _keep them safe_. Do you understand your orders?"

The thing with Amorpho is that everything has to be pretty cut and clear. He's good at following direct orders, but tends to jump through the loop holes when he can. Amorpho brushes off my stern tone, waving his hand in a carefree manner.

"I'm almost hurt you don't think I'm capable of this, but yes, I understand. Don't engage, don't them know anything, stay disguised. Take down this Callaghan or whatever if needed, but warn you if it's Vlad. I know, I know."

He shrugs almost carelessly and puts the picture of Callaghan into his jacket pocket. He turns on his heels, almost briefly waiting for another order, before he continues to walks toward to the edge of the hospital. Only then do I call out to him once again.

"Amorpho, don't take on my appearance at all during this. That's a direct order."

I can hear him curse under his breath, on the brink of almost throwing a tantrum, before he turns on his heels as he stands on the ledge of the roof to face me.

"Fine."

And with that, he falls backward off the ledge and into the air, taking off invisible to the naked, human eye. Except… I curse under my breath when I remember about Baymax.


	42. Chapter Forty-One

**Alright, since I'll be busy, busy, _busy_ tomorrow, I'm updating this fic tonight instead. Hope you enjoy~ Please review!**

 **~CWA**

 **(P.S. Thanks to everyone who private messaged me with a reminder to update the fic, you guys crack me up- I got _at least_ three messages from three people about it)**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-ONE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I wonder the grounds of the college casually with my hands shoved into my pockets and a rather solemn expression on my face that makes people part like the Red Sea in order for me to walk through with ease. My eyes briefly linger on the alter made on the staircase in remembrance of Professor Callaghan with lots of fresh flowers and candles that have long been blown out. My jaw clenches at the sight and I end up glaring at the alter a bit more than I mean to.

I catch a few people sparing sympathetic and slightly hurt looks my ways. But I pay them no heed. I'm a man on a mission. I need to go to the lab, get into Tadashi's area and get Baymax so that Baymax can be safe with Hiro. With Cujo watching over Tadashi, I know I don't have any worries about someone getting to him while I'm away. But Baymax will give a heads up to any ghostly presences to Hiro, including Vlad's. Amorpho, however, has a way of dodging most ghost detection devices since he tends to keep his distance.

A small blue wisp escapes from my mouth. _Speak of the devil._ From the corner of my eye, I can spot him in the distance. Or at least one of his duplicates. His eyes are a beat red and this time, he's taken the form of someone who can easily be mistaken as a professor with dark, old glasses that sit crooked on his face to hide his red eyes and a long old, beaten coat to cover the many layers he wears underneath. Soft stubble decorates his chin and along his jaw, but squinting my eyes, I can still see the strong aura around him. A very mischievous aura that swirls with red and white around him, pulsing with every step he takes.

The second he spots me, we hold eye contact for a brief second before I nod my head toward the shadowed courtyard area that's more isolated and would allow us to talk in private. He rolls his eyes dramatically, almost rolling his whole body with it, but does as asked and heads to the area with a sauntering walk and his hands shoved into the pockets of the beaten jacket. Even in this form, his stance as he walks is tall, proud and more _notice me when I look this good_ type of vibe. A few stray students do take a second to look at him, making him puff his chest with pride, before they turn away and continue on their own walk.

"Oh mighty King," Amorpho greets with a mixture of dramatization and sarcasm, "What can I, your humble servant, do for you?"

His eyes twinkle and a small sarcastic smirk twitches on the corners of his lips. I sigh deeply and rub my temple with my right hand, muttering curses at his behavior while being thankful that no one is paying attention to us.

"Cut the shit, Amorpho, I'm just doing my business while you do yours. But since you're here, I thought you'd like a little heads up. My boyfriend had created this robot, a nurse robot if you will, called Baymax. I had taken the liberty of not only making him ghost proof- so don't even think about it- but it can detect ghosts within its range. You'll know the robot when you see it- big, white, puffy, looks like a walking marshmallow rather than a robot. So whenever it's up and running, just be weary and don't get too close to it unless they're in danger."

Amorpho nods a bit, though the way he does makes it pretty clear that he thinks all of this is unnecessary and repetitive. It's not until he leans a bit to the side to eye a few good looking people behind me do I finally get the hint that he's done talking now, but I snap my fingers to get his attention once more and give him a small pointed _hey do your job_ look that only a boss or King could muster causing him to huff and cross his arms. He gives me a small dismissal flick of the wrist and I roll my eyes, but continue on my to the lab.

By the time I reach the lab, I've spotted two of his duplicates and even inside of the lab I can see one of his duplicates stalking invisibly through the shadows of the lab, watching the gang rather closely. I can see his eyes flicker to the unfinished ghost portal every now and then- thankfully, I don't have to worry about Vlad getting that thanks to the security systems I have on it. Amopho gives me a small nod of greeting when I pass him on my way to Tadashi's sectioned off lab, but I don't make it through the doorway until Fred spots me.

"Casper," he calls out loudly, waving his hands around, "Casper! Where you going?!"

Amorpho's barely muffled laughter, complete with a snort, causes me to send a small discrete glare his way before I turn on my heels and head toward the gang with a bit of a hunch in my shoulders. As nice as it is to see my friends, and see that even if they look tired that they're alive and well, I have lots of things I need to do. Things that I can't get done if I'm just around them. Still, I force a small, friendly grin on my face that quickly turns genuine whenever they return the gesture.

I'm not even five feet away from them before Fred throws himself onto me, hugging me tightly with no signs of letting go.

"We were so worried about you," Fred babbles, his voice cracking with genuine concern, "Do you realize that we haven't seen you in like a week or two aside from the times that we've gone to check on Tadashi? All while looking like you belong in the hospital yourself! Have you even slept, man? Do we have to take shifts watching Tadashi or something for you to relax?"

I awkwardly pat him on the back, which is a bit hard to do since we have a large height difference and he's kinda pinning my arms to my sides with the way he hugs me. Unluckily, just when I think I'm about to get free, everyone joins in on the hugs with various comments. Things like _you should have called us_ or _how are you feeling_ or _how is Tadashi_ or even _have you talked to Hiro he hasn't been by in a while either._ Eventually, I'm able to squeeze my way out of the hug with a flustered expression, rubbing at the back of my neck,

"I'm sorry I haven't really talked much, it's just been… stressful. But I'm happy to see you guys are okay."

My expression softens considerably, an intense look of raw concern that briefly throws a few of them off as it seems almost out of place with our discussion. But they don't know. They don't know how much danger they're in. And they would only be in more danger if I told them.

"Of course we're okay," Honey Lemon all but waves off my concern, "What we're worried about is you, Hiro and Tadashi."

"Not to mention that whole thing at the center," Fred pitches in, "Because I, for one, am very hurt that you never said that you knew Vladimir frikkin' Masters, who happens to be one of the, if not _the_ , richest men in the world. So what gives dude?"

The others are quick to chaste Fred for the change of subject, which a bit of a dramatic change from his previous concerned greeting, but such changes are a norm with Fred. GoGo gives him a slap to the back of the head as Wasabi just shakes his head with a small sigh. Honey Lemon flushes slightly and she's the one to whisper chaste, scolding comments to Fred with a finger in the air almost like a mother scolding a child. But the mention of Vlad briefly causes my anger to flare a bit more, my jaw clenching and my teeth grind together as I close my eyes tightly with a sucked in breath before I calm myself down enough to speak.

"Look, Vlad and I did know each other- he and my parents were friends in college actually for a long time. But that's all I'm going to say except for the fact that he's _not_ the person you think he is, okay? Vlad is… He's the worst possible monster, you can think of, okay? He has no morals, no boundaries, and he will not hesitate to destroy you if you're in his way so please just… If you run into him, _run_. Run, don't look back, use whatever ghost equipment you have available- Fred has some that he thought he stole rather stealthy from me but that's not the point. And finally, make sure to call me. Call me, scream, something."

I look at them intently, my eyes baring into their souls. My aura flares slightly, not enough to be seen in this light, but enough that if the lights were to go out, I'd look more like a nightlight then anything. I want to tell them everything I've told Tadashi and Hiro, I do, but I'm running out of time and I can't go into such a length expression if I want to get things done. Plus they'd be in more dangerous if I really told them why Vlad was so dangerous. But they all share concerned, uncertain looks with each other aside from Fred who seems thoughtful with furrowed brows and a hand to his chin.

"Danny, don't you think that's a bit extreme," Honey Lemon offers hesitantly, but I just purse my lips.

"With Vlad, nothing's too extreme."

Fred voices his thoughts then, the same concentrated look on his face as he paces a bit with his hand waving through the air,

"Rich, white, old man with lots of money, lots of power…. Danny," he turns to me with a serious expression, putting his hands on my shoulders as he looks intensely into my eyes, "Is Vlad a supervillian? Answer me honestly."

I snort. Only Fred could get that close to the truth. But I just shrug his hands off of me in a bit of an uncomfortable manner,

"You could say that…. So just… Stay safe, okay?"

I look over everyone. Fred seems thrilled and is doing a little dance about a super villain being in the city. GoGo doesn't seem to really believe anything, but she's not voicing any complaints and hesitantly, nods a bit to me signaling that she will do what I said in concerns to Vlad. Wasabi eventually nods his head, even if he seems a bit freaked out and slightly fearful. Honey Lemon glances between everyone before sighing and sadly shaking her head as well. I give a final nod to them before I head away and go straight for Tadashi's lab to get Baymax.

When I finally get through the door, I inwardly curse at myself. I could have avoided all of that if I just came here invisible or something.

Damn it.

* * *

I'm not exactly thrilled to go see Hiro, even if it is just to give him Baymax. I know I haven't been the best big brother figure to the kid lately and I know that he's mad at me. With Vlad being as evil as he is, I just need to know that Hiro is safe. It hurts to think that him being safe means him hating my guts. But he hasn't been talking to me- hell, as far as I know he's barely even been to the hospital to check on Tadashi. My stomach turns slightly at the uneasiness that comes over me as I walk into the cafe.

The second I enter the cafe, I cough into my hand to hide the blue wisp that leaves my mouth. My eyes sweep across the cafe until they land on a duplicate of Amorpho's sitting and drinking coffee in the corner. He locks eyes with me briefly and gives me a small nod of acknowledgment before he turns his attention to the book in his hands. With his drive to be the center of attention and Aunt Cass not exactly hiding all of the her Beat Poetry Night posters, I'm not even surprised that the book in his hands is a book on beat poetry and how to write. I roll my eyes and turn, ready to head up the stairs, to come face to face with Aunt Cass.

She has a sad, heart-broken expression on her face as she eyes with uncertainty, unsure what to do or how to comfort me. But I really think she's the one that needs comforting. My expression softens considerably as I set Baymax's red case down and bring her in for a tight, comforting hug with a brief, familial kiss on the cheek. She breaks down in my embrace, hugging me tightly with loud, broken sobs into my shoulder as she shakes and trembles. A few customers briefly turn to us in concern, but a few know of Tadashi's hospitalized condition thanks to the news and tabloids and turn away with a sad, understanding. I glare at anyone who doesn't turn away, not afraid to flash my green eyes to get them to understand the message to _mind their own damn business._

After a moment, Aunt Cass finally pulls away with me, sniffling as she rubs at her eyes with a sad smile.

"Oh, look at me, getting your nice shirt all wet," she sniffles, but her voice is soft and broken, "...It's really good to see you again, Danny. I was getting worried…"

My heart sinks at her words and I swallow the lump in my throat as I offer her a comforting smile as I pick up Baymax's case with one hand, using my free hand to gently rub her shoulder in a comforting manner.

"It's good to see you too, Aunt Cass…. I'm sorry I haven't been around that much, but is it okay for me to go see Hiro?"

She hesitates briefly, refusing to meet my eyes as she bites at her lower lip with uncertainty before she finally just sighs and waves me on up toward Hiro's room. I give her a thankful smile before I head up there with a tight grasp on Baymax's case. In my moment of hesitance, I just hover in the doorway.

So far he hasn't noticed me. He's sitting at his computer desk with a sad, slightly angry expression on his face as he holds one of Tadashi's spare caps in his hands, turning it over and over again, rubbing his thumb over the logo. I hesitate for a moment. Wondering if maybe it'd be easier to just leave Baymax and go without him noticing before I take a deep breath. Maybe I can ease things over with him, find out what's wrong. Oh hell with that. I know exactly what's wrong. He's mad at me because I won't tell him everything, it's pretty clear since it started out when I told him that'd I just tell him everything later.

"Danny."

Hiro finally notices me. His eyes snapping to me and for a moment, it's almost as if he wants to come hug me before he stops himself. A small frown forms on his lips and he goes back to sitting down with the cap and a slightly angry expression. I sigh and set Baymax down at his feet and place a hand on his shoulder,

"Hiro…"

He shrugs out of my grasp with a small huff, his bottom lip puffing out slightly as he crosses his arms, the cap loosely hanging between his fingers.

"Hiro," I try again, this time swirling the chair so he's forced to face me and placing my hands on either side of him to keep the chair in place as I look into his eyes, "Hiro we have to talk."

He shifts a bit in the seat, but the angry expression stays on his face.

"Sure," he mumbles, "What do you want to talk about? Tadashi being in the hospital? You not telling the whole story? The green dome I saw? The way you crumbled _metal_ as if it's nothing-"

His voice gets slightly louder with each statement as I cringe with a mix of guilt and irritation. I roll my shoulders slightly to ease the tension in my body, but it still lingers there, threatening to break free.

"Look, Hiro," I try to ease his anger with a gentle tone, "I know this is frustrating. But you're going to have to trust that this for you own safety-"

He jumps from the chair, forcing me to rear backwards. His hands tremble at his sides and his eyes are wet with a disappointed, hurt gleam to them,

"-how is it for my safety when I'm living in ignorance of whatever is endangering me," Hiro's voice raises to an almost shouting level, "Brothers don't keep secrets! Brothers don't lie! And I thought we were brothers! But apparently not because you won't tell me anything beyond the bad stuff Vlad's done and how dangerous he is! But you're not telling me everything! I know there's more to this Danny!"

My last nerve snaps. I'm not sure if it's from all this stress, everything happening at once, or if it's Hiro's words or if it's the mention of Vlad in the mix of this emotion. Or maybe it's from the way his anger and frustration roll off in waves, his aura flaring up. Small wisps of his aura breaks away and slips into mine, adding to my own frustration. But my eyes flash a deadly, glowing green that causes Hiro to falter, taking an uncertain step back as I step forward.

The white glow of my aura is brightly visible in this dim light, forming a cocoon of light around me that pulses violently and shakes like static. My hands tremble at my sides, green sparks flickering at my fingertips.

"Fine, Hiro, you really want to know what I am?! I'm a _freak_ , okay?! I'm just a creepy kid with creepy powers- a half-ghost hybrid that's nothing more than the cause of a freaky lab accident!"


	43. Chapter Forty-Two

**Originally, this was going to be two chapters then I decided to just go ahead and put them together to form a longer chapter. So I hope you enjoy and please review~**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-TWO**

* * *

 _ **Hiro Hamada**_

 _Half ghost. Half ghost._ It echoes through my mind in a numbing fear that makes my head pound as my whole body seems to tremble as I take an unsteady step backward, looking at the ghost- looking at _Danny_ \- as he stands in front of me. He doesn't even look like Danny. Not the Danny that I've come to known. He looks… He looks dead. Inhuman. Dangerous. Green eyes that just stare straight into my soul and swirl in my mind, making me feel small and helpless. Green sparks dance across his fingertips before blinking out of existence. The white glow around him pulses and vibrates, shining brighter and brighter. It rolls off of him in waves and stretch a good few inches away from himself.

My heart pounds inside my chest with such a ferocity that makes me wonder if it's going to burst through my torso all together. I can feel myself shaking so badly it's hard to stand straight. My mind becomes whirlwind of things. _Half ghost. Half ghost. Creepy kid with creepy powers- what powers? What can do? Is it just him or is it all ghosts? But what lab accident? And how can someone even be half ghost? Does that mean…. Is… Is Danny half-dead?_ My breath hitches in my throat in a small hiccup as tears threaten to spill over and when I manage to find the courage to look up, Danny seems to have calmed down. The glow's dimmed down and turned less violent. Now it just rolls through the air and a few stray wisps even float through the air, disappearing every few seconds.

I tense as one of the wisps get close to me and brushes against my skin, sending goosebumps across my skin as the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge. But a few more wisps come to me, disappearing upon contact on my skin and send calm vibrations through me that make me breath a small sigh of relief as the tension leaves my body. I'm not sure why they make me feel safe. Why it feels so warm and fuzzy. This isn't right. I should be scared. I should be running. Something. Why do I feel safe? I can't… I don't understand.

"Danny," my voice cracks as I look to him, relieved when I notice his eyes are back to normal, "Danny what do you mean?"

He lets out a small frustrated sigh as he runs his hair through his fingers, plopping down on my bed and after a brief moment, he pats the bed in a gesture to get me to sit down, but I don't move causing him to look downcast and almost hurt. He sighs once more and as he exhales, the glow around him finally turns into something that can easily be dismissed as a trick of the light. The wisps that once floated freely now stay close to him and merge with the glow itself. My throat feels sore and a bit tight, making it hard for me to breath, but I manage to shakily sit down in the computer chair and just watch him as he speaks.

"I… I'm sorry," he doesn't look at me, he sits hunched over with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, looking straight toward the ground, "I… Hiro, it's dangerous to know this. It's really dangerous because when you know what I am, _who_ I am, my enemies are more likely to find you and with Vlad around, that's something that I just didn't want to risk."

He lets out a noise that I think is supposed to be a dry chuckle as he briefly looks up at me, still hunched over with his arms resting on his legs now. A small, tired, slightly forced smirk is on his face and his eyes look… _haunted_. They're not green- not like before- but they seem heavy now. Or maybe he's also looked as if he's fought a million wars and I just never noticed until now.

"I suppose that doesn't really matter now," he chuckles again, but it lacks its humor, "…Hiro… I know this is hard to take in and I know this goes against a lot that you've known because I'm not human. Not a ghost either. Just somewhere in the middle- I still breathe, just not as often. I don't eat though, not unless it has a shit ton of ectoplasm in it otherwise I get a serious case of food poisoning. I don't even have to sleep as much as you do. My body temperature is really low and my heart barely even beats. But-"

Before I can stop him, he reaches and grabs my hand. Has his skin always been this cold? I tense in his grip and wince, closing my eyes tightly and prepare myself for the worst as I hold my breath. But whatever I'm waiting for doesn't come. I let out the shaky breath I've held and slowly peak my eyes open as I feel my palm being pressed against something, his grip still firm, yet loose enough on my wrist. With my eyes open, I can see that my palm is against his chest, right over his heart, as he looks at me with an expression I don't quite understand. I relax a bit, but I still watch him cautiously. I can't feel anything under my palm- I can't feel his heart pounding or even his chest moving to take a breath. I gulp thickly and my hand trembles a little bit and it takes a second, but I feel a small bump against my palm causing me to jump and look to Danny frantically, but he doesn't move.

"-It still beats," Danny says softly, "Barely. But it does."

I begin to count. Slowly. Steadily. After a full minute, he lets go off my wrist and I counted 22 beats. 22 beats. In just one minute. My hands are still trembling as one hand reaches to my own chest. My heart is beating so rapidly there's no chance for me to even count it like this. But still… His heart beating a little bit, even if it's such a low number, brings me a bit of comfort. If his heart is still beating, then he must be, on some level, still alive, right?

"H-How," I manage to ask, my voice wavering and cracking.

He takes the question rather well, amusement dancing in his eyes briefly as he chuckles a bit, briefly commenting on the fact that he did already say it was a lab accident, causing me to flush slightly as I mutter under my breath. But the brief moment of humor disappears quickly as he continues to speak, his eyes downcast and his arms still resting on his legs as he hunches over.

"...I was actually about your age. A fourteen year old trying to balance a life between parents that everyone believed to be crazy and school. If it wasn't for Sam and for Tucker, my two best friends with the former actually being Ellie's mom, then I don't think I would have survived… Or escape the lockers I always got shoved into. But like I said, everyone believed my parents were crazy with their of ghosts- even me and Jazz did, if you can believe it. But then they built something-"

He trails off slightly, but the realization dawns in my eyes as I let out a small gasp.

"-A portal," I finish, "They… they built the ghost portal- just like the one you're building. Didn't they?"

He nods, a small reminiscing smile on his lips,

"Exactly. Except theirs didn't work at first. It brought my heart seeing them so heartbroken- I didn't necessarily believe in ghosts at the time, but they were my parents and they were so passionate about their work…. So my friends and I snuck down into the lab when they were gone. I slipped on a HAZMAT suit and checked it out. Sam wanted to get my picture in the portal for her scrapbook, but I thought maybe if I got a closer look, I could fix it…. And I did, sort of. Tripped on a wire and hit a button on the wall. The next thing I know, I'm getting electrocuted which really should have killed me if ectoplasm didn't play a part in the portal."

His hands grip his knees a bit tightly, but the smile stays on his face even if it doesn't reach his eyes. I don't really like where this is going though. My gut turns and I wrap my arms tightly around myself. _Electrocuted._ Danny was… he was electrocuted. So much electricity jolting through his system… He's right. It should have killed him. And I think… It did. To a degree.

"-I woke up and everything was… different. My hair turned pitch white, my eyes were glowing green, I kept floating around and sinking through floors, the whole bit. I thought I died. Thought I was a ghost, but… nope, just a different type of freak."

He shuffles a bit and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet and flipping it open with a pained expression on his face but takes a picture from it and hands it to me. I take it carefully, my hands barely able to grip it from the way my hands shake. It's an old picture, slightly yellowed and there's a faint ring on it as if someone had set a drink on it at some point, the corners are ripped and folded, but the picture is still clear. It shows Danny. If not for the smile on his face, the same smile I see him give Tadashi a lot, in the picture I doubt I would have recognized him. In the picture, he looks about my age, with the darkest hair I've ever seen and startling blue eyes. Two people are with him, about fourteen as well, and they have their arms around him with grins on their faces. My guess is that it's Sam and Tucker. The girl, Sam, looks enough like Ellie that I can see that she is definitely the mother of Danny's daughter. Though her violet eyes take me off guard for a brief moment.

After a few seconds, I can feel myself calming as I hand him the picture back. A small, shaky smile is on my lips. I'm not okay with this- how can I be when he's half dead? But it does explain a lot now that I think about. Why he's always so quiet and manages to sneak around so well. How he pulled off a lot of those pranks he's done to Tadashi. But my eyes flicker to his hair, there's still traces of the black hair that I saw in the picture on the shaved sides, but the white hair on top is so pure that there's not so much as a fleck of black. Which means it really must be natural, a side effect of the accident. The smile comes a bit easier to my lips now.

"Old man hair," I mumble, laughter bubbling in my throat.

Danny lights up at the joke, an easy, natural grin stretching across his lips as he stands up from the bed with a stretch. He ruffles my hair playfully, causing me to bat at his hands,

"You laugh now, but give it a few years- I think I see a white hair in there already," he winks at me and makes his way the door, "But I do have things I gotta go do, bad guys to stop…."

He stops for a moment in the doorway before turning briefly, looking at me from over his shoulder with a slightly furrowed expression,

"We can talk about this later, okay? And I'll tell you about my ghost adventures and some of the ghosts I've met… But in the meantime, Hiro, please just… turn on Baymax and keep him on, okay? He'll warn you if there's a ghost nearby and when he does, _get out of there._ And just… stay safe, okay? You're my little brother, I'd hate to see anything happen to you."

His voice wavers a bit as his expression softens and I can't help but give a shaky grin at him as my heart pounds in my chest with sibling affection. He gives me a small reassured nod and after a moment of hesitance, he takes a step forward and I find myself being wrapped up in a tight, comforting hug. My eyes mist up a bit as my bottom lip quivers before I relax into the hug.

I never noticed he's this cold before. I don't feel his chest rise and fall with a breath that often and it almost feels like I'm hugging a corpse. But… a corpse doesn't radiate with safety and protection. Though there's something strange about knowing that he could just as easily break me in half if he squeezes too hard and just like that, the reminder that Danny, my brother, is _half dead_ comes to mind and the moment of sibling bonding disappears as my gut twists.

* * *

 _ **Tadashi Hamada**_

* * *

I lay on the bed, content with just staring up at the ceiling as I take in steady, deep breaths before I close my eyes in an attempt to clear my mind. Now that the excitement of my accident has died down, the hospital has all but banned everyone but direct family from visiting me. I think they were forced to make that decision when a reporter came in and cornered me into questioning. It's all pretty blurry, mostly because of the heavy pain medication, but I think she got a picture of everyone, I just can't be sure… It's one of the many reasons I'm glad they switched me to a milder pain medication- while it is pretty heavy, it's not mind numbing. The switch got approved since some of my minor burns and scrapes have been healing and I don't have as many bandages as I did before. I still have too many bandages for my liking though.

But since it is only direct family allowed, I wonder if that's why Danny hasn't visited as much. He used to be at my side twenty-four-seven and while he's been here maybe twice since he left, his visits were short and his mind was else-where. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he seemed angry at something, but that doesn't sound right since the only thing, or rather the only person, I've ever seen get Danny so genuinely upset is Mr. Masters and after the convention, he's disappeared off the map yet again so I can't imagine what it is that Danny is upset about…. Unless Masters isn't really gone and is bothering Danny. I hope that's not the case. Casting what Danny's said and his own opinions of the man, Masters strikes me as a very bad guy in a way I can't place. He just causes this overall feeling of uneasy, almost fear. Just thinking about it causes goosebumps on my arm.

I sigh deeply and shift a bit on the bed, opting to lay on my side rather than my back only to see a familiar face only inches from mine, causing me to real back with a yelp,

"Hiro! Don't scare me like that," I lightly chide him.

Unlike the other times that I've gotten onto him, he doesn't offer any smart-ass comments or even a smirk. If anything, he just looks guilty and sad. I narrow my eyes slightly with concern and suspicion as I take him in. The bags under his eyes. The way his eyes dart around nervously. The shaky hands. The way his bottom lip quivers. For a moment, I think back to the little three year old that slept with me every night until he was six years old. A little boy- _my little brother-_ terrified and plagued with nightmares of Mom and Dad's death. My expression softens and I don't even question how he is tightly clinging to the red case that I recognize as Baymax.

"Hey," my voice is soft and gentle as I move a bit to make room on the bed, "What are you doing here so late, Hiro?"

His eyes are wide and big as he eyes the way I pat the bed. He hesitates for a moment, his eyes flickering toward Baymax's case before he finally sets the red case down and climbs into the bed with me, curling into a ball with his head resting on my chest as I drape my arm weakly over his shoulders. I comfortingly rub his shoulder as my heart sinks to my gut. It's been years since Hiro's been this upset about something. In fact, lately, I think he'd sooner bottle everything up than show how upset he is like this. Whatever it is that's bothering him…. It must be bad.

The _who died_ comment dies in my throat, opting to stay in silence for a while as I wonder just how much Danny has rubbed off on me that my first comment would be a joke. Not to mention there's something about the comment that burns in my mouth. As if saying it would make Hiro even more upset. And I'm not even sure why. But my brotherly instinct is telling me that it'd just be the worst thing I could say right now. And for a moment, I wonder if I should just ask Hiro what's wrong, but I know Hiro. He'll tell me. He just needs a moment.

After a full two minutes- I couldn't help but eye the hospital clock that flashes _1:36_ in the morning with a bit of a disdain- Hiro finally speaks up. His voice is soft and a bit broken, threatening to crack with emotion as he curls tighter to me.

"-'Dashi, what would you do if you found out someone you view as family, isn't human? What if they were an… alien? Or only, say, _half..._ human?"

There's a small pause that almost makes it sound as if he wasn't orginally going to say half-human. For a moment, I think he's spent too much time with Fred. But Hiro isn't one to get so worked up over just something that may just be one of Fred's wild theories. _Someone you view as family._ I'm not sure who he's talking about- the only ones that come to mind is Danny and Aunt Cass- or even what brought this up. But whatever it is that's on his mind, and it has something to do with this, then I need to give him my honest answer. I let out a small shuddering breath and swallow down the memory that's been fading in and out of my mind.

* * *

 _Burning. I never thought it'd burn this much. Though I didn't really think about anything aside from the fact that Callaghan is still in here. And I've failed. I didn't save him. I couldn't even save myself. And now, here I am, about to die. I can feel it in my bones that there's nothing left for me. That I should just give up. I wonder how everyone will react to my death? Will they miss me? Will they be angry at the world? Angry at me for just running into the center without a second thought? Will Danny spiral into depression and rely on the comfort of his sister and daughter? Or will he stay strong for everyone and comfort Aunt Cass and Hiro and the gang? Will he bottle everything up until one day it will just explode and cause chaos in its wake?_

 _My chest burns almost as much as my skin with each shuddering, gasping breath. My hands twitch at my sides. I know I'm going to die. But I can't die without a fight. I can't just loose all hope even as it claws at me, pleading for me to just give in. By some miracle, I'm able to open my eyes even as the smoke burns my sight. Groggily and barely aware of most things, I'm still able to see him. He's clear enough that for a moment, I wonder if I'm hallucinating. Or I heard that you see people you love before you die and this is it. But there's… there's something different about him. He runs as if the devil is at his heels, the flames barely nipping at his skin. His eyes glow a vivid green, brighter than any of the fire. His body glows white against the red and my eyes flicker close for a moment when I feel his arms wrap around me._

 _His touch is colder than ice. Is it the cold hands of death? I don't… I don't understand how he can feel so cold against the heated flames that threaten to burn us alive. But I don't complain when the icy feel makes a small, soothing sigh escape from my lips. I blink my eyes open, for just a brief moment more, in time to see such a determined, if a bit angry, expression shining on Danny's face as a green dome forms around us. I blink._

 _When I open my eyes once more, we're no longer inside of the Center. There is no flames. We're outside in the courtyard, meters away from the exploding building. I close my eyes once more as the darkness finally takes over me._

* * *

I blink back the memory, biting at my lip slightly as a lump forms in my throat and my mouth goes dry. I'm still not sure what to make of it, just that Danny is… different. That's the only explanation I have. Whether it's because he's not human or if he's a mutant with powers or something else entirely, I don't know. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'm not sure I would even believe it. Even then, it can be dismissed as just hallucinations from lack of oxygen, but that explanation doesn't settle well with my gut. Danny being… something different than just a normal human… would explain a lot of things. The way he healed so fast from what I know was a pulmonary embolism- or just anything really. Small cuts and scrapes I've seen him get from working on the project that would be gone later that same day. The mysteriously bent metal rod at my beside that I have the gut feeling is from Danny. Hell, it may even be why he can pull so many pranks without getting caught.

No matter what the case is, as unsettling as it is to think about (and a bit disappointing that he hasn't told me), it doesn't change what I think about Danny. He's still the guy that I love, no matter what (though I'm still not sure if I'm ready to say it out loud) and I know in my heart that he'll tell me the truth about everything when he's ready… Even if in the meantime, I'm not exactly pleased that he hasn't told me sooner- especially after our whole _no more secrets_ discussion we had a while back.

With all of that in mind, it makes sense that Hiro is talking about Danny. I mean, who else could he be talking about? It wasn't as if we have family members to spare that Hiro could possibly believe isn't human, or in his words, half-human (maybe that's what Danny is- half human and half something else?). I briefly wonder what makes Hiro believe this- what Danny may have said or done, but Hiro's a smart kid. I know that he can pick up on things and notice things when he wants to. I wouldn't doubt that he's noticed some odd things about Danny and things Danny has done and began questioning it.

I clear my throat before I'm able to answer Hiro.

"I think," I say slowly, "...that I would do nothing… Talk to him, sure, but in the end it doesn't really matter _what_ he is. Just _who_ he is."

If he notices that I say _him_ in reference to someone in particular, he doesn't mention it. He just nods slowly, taking in my answer as if it's the most holy thing in the world as he mutters a bit to himself, shaking his head before he pulls away from me a bit, a hooded look in his eyes as they gleam over. He bites at his bottom lip hesitantly before he speaks up again.

"...Thanks, 'Dashi…. I… I should probably get going…. Get better soon, it's getting boring without you."

He gives me a hesitant, goofy grin that I return easily. Despite the pain that shoots up my arm, I ruffle his hair after he gets off the bed. He laughs and swats at my hand and for a moment, I feel like I'm not in the hospital anymore. That we're back to being a normal family before all of this began. But after he leaves, Baymax's case in hand, my mind drifts back to Danny and I remember that things aren't normal and I wonder if they ever were in the first place.


	44. Omake-Bonus I

**Wow, what's this? A _second update?_ In _one day_? It's the end of the world~ This is just an omake/bonus that's not entirely necessary to understand the story, but expands the characters. There's going to be more omake/bonuses throughout the process of this fic, some more important than others. I was going to include some earlier on in the fic but in the end, decided not to delay the bigger plot of the fic so I wanted to wait until the bigger plot came on first before including bonuses. Note that most of the bonuses will be a bit shorter than length while others _may_ be as long as a full chapter.**

 **I** **know that I haven't been exactly clear on A.D.'s gender, which is kinda on purpose to a degree because he's more feminine presenting than most non-gender confirming people. But anyway, to clear any confusion, A.D. is a transmale (Danny wasn't sure of his gender thus using they/them pronouns a huge portion of the time), which means he was assigned female at birth. He doesn't mind they/them pronouns, but if he's honest, he'd prefer he/him.**

 **IMPORTANT- I can't remember if I said this before or not, but I have created a playlist for this fic. So I highly suggest listening to it while reading the fic because the songs I choose really fit the fic as a whole pretty good I think. It's called _Science Fiction - Fic Playlist_ on YouTube, if you type the title of the playlist in, it's the first one to come up. If anyone wants to ask why certain songs were chosen, feel free to PM me.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **OMAKE/BONUS I**

* * *

 _ **GoGo**_

My bubblegum bubble pops every few seconds as I walk toward the familiar gym, a bit of a sway in my hips. My eyes are clouded from thought. I'm not one for drama and is usually the first to say it like it is, but I can't help but hold my tongue _this time._ Not until I get the full story. Not until all this dies down. The only thing I know is that Hiro went from hating Danny's guts for whatever damn reason to loving him like a brother again in what seems to be in a blink of an eye. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the two obviously had some sort of heart-to-heart talk and I'm almost curious about what Danny possibly could have said to Hiro.

My best guess is that Hiro was mad at Danny about the fire, maybe from running in, or maybe from not saving Tadashi sooner. We all know how Hiro lets his emotions control what he's thinking and doing and saying a huge portion of the time. He vaguely reminds me of me when I was his age. Except without the bloody monthly gifts. Man that was hell and I thank the higher powers that birth control helps with that mess. I'm pretty sure Camila (or as Fred calls her, Honey Lemon) is thankful for that too considering she's the one that's stuck with me as a dorm mate/room mate/whatever.

But my mind drifts back to Tadashi, causing an unsettling turn in my gut. He's one of my best friends, even if I don't always admit it, and as I think about him in that hospital with the IVs, the wire, the bandages, looking in such a bad condition that it's a miracle he's even alive, my breathing hitches. I know he won't be alive if it isn't for Danny- that blockhead- running in after him. Even if I'm not sure how he even saved Tadashi. It should be impossible. To be inside the fire one second just before it explodes only to be a safe distance away a moment later. I suppose it just adds to Danny's mystery…

Hell, since when isn't Danny a bit of a mystery. It seems every few months we're learning something new about him that just shocks us to our core. At this point, the only surprise he can possibly have left for us should be his own death…. Fuck it, if Danny ever dies, I'm sure his ghost would be haunting the shit out of us without a second's thought. Heh. Maybe he already is a ghost. Maybe that's why he can pull off so many pranks.

I shake my head slightly and clear my mind as I walk into Gym Neutral. I barely even glance to A.D., who as usual, sits behind the counter with his head on the counter top in a half-asleep daze. I know by now that he- _he/they, either way A.D. says that they/them or he/him works as long as it's not she/her_ \- only has two settings. A flirtatious, over the top extravagant side that shows itself a good portion of the time. And a tired, half-asleep knucklehead the other half of the time. Still, while Tadashi is one of my best friends, A.D. is _the_ best friend. Even if we push the boundary of best friendship a few times with how many times that idiot steals my sweaters and heels whenever he ends up staying the night in my dorm room. Which doesn't happen often since Honey Lemon isn't always comfortable with it- so we time it whenever she's gone and there's no one to snitch to the professors.

A.D. looks tiredly up at me from his spot behind the counter, his eyes droopy and baggy. He doesn't look like he's gotten much sleep lately. But since when does he sleep in the first place? And I mean _actually_ sleep, the good eight-hour, _deep_ sleep in an actual bed?

"Hey," A.D lacks his usual enthusiasm and flirtatious tone, instead he sounds soft and gentle, comforting and serious in a way that momentarily takes me off guard, "...I heard about Tadashi. How you holding up?"

And here I thought I could just get away from this and take my frustrations out on a poor punching bag. I pop my bubblegum one last time before tossing it into a nearby trash can. He watches me carefully, the same gentle expression on his face even even as I plop down on the counter, forcing him to lean back into his seat to make room for me. I stretch my legs across the counter top and rest on my elbows to give me some support. A.D. doesn't voice any complaints- he rarely does.

Instead, A.D. just sighs and eventually leans back forward and rests his arms on my stomach with his chin on top of his hands. But his head is turned toward me with that same damn expression, causing me to wince. I hate that expression. That damn expression. The _I'm sorry for you_ look. The look that makes me feel smaller than I already am. I've received that look enough times in my life and _Goddamnit I don't want to see it anymore._

"If you don't knock that expression of your face, I'm going to knock you out of that chair," I say calmly, glancing at him briefly before turning my gaze toward the ceiling.

He hums a bit, the vibration jiggling my stomach just a bit- and I know said jiggling is why he snorts in a vain attempt to cover some stray chuckles a second later. But he doesn't push it any farther and stretches as he leans back into his chair. The once serious expression is gone from his face, replaced with his usual flirtatious grin, but his eyes still seem to hold a slightly more somber tone that he can't just hide. Just when he opens his mouth to talk, someone behind me- someone I can't currently see- seems to get his attention as he perks up with confidence and an easy grin.

"Hello, welcome to Gym Neautral," A.D. greets with a flirtatious wink, "Where everyone and anyone is welcome to try me out."

If he meant to say _try it_ instead of _try me_ then he doesn't correct himself. But now I gotta see the poor sap that A.D. is trying to reel in now. I roll off the counter with ease just as A.D. stands from his chair and goes to give a more personal greeting to the newcomer, leaving his seat free for me to take. Huh. His seat is really comfy. No wonder he sits here all the time. Hell, I can even feel the small indent in the chair from his butt. Heh. _Small_ indent.

I quirk an eyebrow when I see the person whose caught A.D.'s eye- none other than Christine Bachmeier, leader of the Dimensional Theory Club. Granted, I don't necessarily talk to my ex that much, if at all, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize her when I see her. Even if she does have some new tattoos and apparently a new hair cut- since when did she get it short? I force myself to not focus on how she looks and instead focus on the fact that A.D. is flirting with her. _Adrian_. _Flirting._ _With possibly the most demisexual girl I have ever known in my life…_. Oh this is going to be funny.

A small smirk stretches on my face as I sit back and enjoy the show. A.D.'s grin doesn't falter as he puts a hand on his cocked hip, his shoulders back and head high with confidence. How can he stand so well in heels- or even be in a gym in heels in the first place- is one thing I never have and never will figure out. Christine takes an uncertain step back, a small blush creeping onto her cheeks as her normally friendly exterior falters.

"I-I'm sorry, I just heard that this gym is one of the best in the city and had to come check it out…"

A.D. still has a flirtatious expression, but tones everything down a little when he notices how uncomfortable she is. Christine tries to look at anything but him, causing her to lock eyes with me for a brief moment. Her eyes widen at the sight of me in the chair, but I just smirk and give her a small wave, making it clear that I'm not going to help her out of this mess. Not yet anyway.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off so forward, I just see a beautiful person and it's hard to control myself. My name's Adrian, but everyone calls me A.D."

He offers a hand for her to shake and she hesitates before gently gripping it in her own. She slowly shakes his hand, a small smile hesitantly appearing on her face.

"Christine."

A.D. repeats her name to himself, leaning forward her just a bit as she shakes his hand, close enough that he is invading her space a bit too much for anyone's comfort.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful person."

Christine's blush grows and she quickly yanks her hand away, cradling it to her chest as she looks to me, pleading me for help. Oh fine. I suppose I can take pity on her a bit earlier than planned. The smirk on my face stays as I call out to A.D.,

"She's demisexual, dumbass, you're not going to get anywhere!"

A.D.'s expression instantly drops, a pout forming on his lips. I knew that he'd know what demisexual meant- if anyone did, it'd be him for sure. I'm also sure that this isn't the first time he's tried climbing a tree that doesn't have any branches unless you're the right height. In other words, demisexuals don't feel sexual attraction, not unless it's someone that they have a bond with first. So some stranger- aka A.D.- hitting on them trying to get something isn't much help.

But to his credit, he recovers pretty quickly, standing up straight with a friendly, warm smile and I see Christine relax a bit at his more welcoming exterior.

"Ah well, can't win them all," A.D. winks, though its much more playful and teasing, "I may be a whore, but I'm a whore who knows when to stop."

They say it with so much confidence that it would take most people off guard. Course it doesn't help that he also says it with a huge grin on his face with a cheerful tone. Christine looks a lot more comfortable now, if a bit flustered and awkward, but she does return his grin with one of her own and a small dip of her head in greeting before she turns to me.

"So Hye," Christine tilts her head curiously, "I didn't know you came here? Do you work here? Oh my gosh, don't tell me you've worked here for a long time and I just never noticed when we were dating? I'm sorry," Christine begins to babble, not even stopping to take a breath even as she speaks like a million words per second, "I know I don't listen well so you probably did tell me and I just never heard you, or maybe you don't work here. Maybe you're just chilling behind the counter for some reason. Are you just one of her friends or something?"

Sometimes it's weird hearing my own name when I'm so used to being called GoGo around the lab, but that's not very concerning right now. What's concerning is the fact that as she says _are you just one of her friends or something,_ she jabs a thumb toward A.D. and I can see it in _his_ face that something snapped inside of him. His body tenses and all previous merriment leaves him, revealing a whole new side of him that I've never seen before. Though no one at the gym is stupid enough to assume anyone's pronouns or gender.

It's...almost curious to see A.D. get this way. Especially when he's usually relatively calm. But now… I can see it in his eyes. A steeliness. A fire. His jaw locks and his fists clench at his sides. I can see that he's trying to calm himself down- and failing at that- and I know I have a bit of anger stirring inside of my gut as well. But there's something different about him. A sharp edge that seems like he could cut someone at one wrong move. The other people in the gym share cautious looks and a few even go as far as backing away from the situation, eying A.D. as if he could lash out any second.

" _Him,_ Christine," I snap, trying to correct her before A.D. completely looses it, "A.D. is a _him._ Or a _they_ on occasion."

Christine furrows her brows briefly, but seems to understand what I'm saying as the realization quickly dawns on her. Her face turns a bright red, spreading all the way to her ears as she lets out a few nervous, jittery sputters as she waves her hands in defense.

"I- I didn't realize, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she repeats her apology a few times, turning to A.D. as she does so, "I really didn't mean anything by it and I didn't know, but I shouldn't have assumed and I'm sorry, _man._ Really. You're very handsome so I should have realized and I didn't and man, I'm just really sorry- A.D., isn't it? Yeah, I'm sorry A.D. Next time I misgender someone by accident, just spray me with a water bottle if you have to, but now that I know I have no intentions to do it again. Why don't we start over? My name's Christine, I'm one of Hye's many exes so I didn't exactly expect to see her here, but I came here because I heard that this is one the most people-friendly and laid back gyms in the city."

She sticks her hand out toward him with a nervous expression on her face and I can see the rapid fall and rise of her chest. I nod in content and lean back in the chair, satisfied that she's at least trying to apologize. Though A.D.'s reaction surprises me slightly. Normally, he doesn't hesitate to accept an apology, going from mad or sad to cheerful in a blink of an eye. This time, however, he turns to look at her with a strained expression on his face, hesitation dancing in his eyes as he looks toward her outstretched hand. He's hesitating, unsure of what to do or what to say. I can see the hurt and pain reflected in his irises, but at least he doesn't look angry anymore. Each passing second makes Christine get more and more jittery as she shifts her weight from foot to foot. Finally, after what seems like forever, A.D. sighs and a small, though cautious, smile stretches across his face as he gently shakes her hand.

"Nice to meet you, Christine. Name's Adrian, but most people call me A.D. Might I say that you look lovely today," he winks playfully.

 _Annnddd he's back,_ I roll my eyes slightly as everyone in the gym breaths a sigh of relief that A.D. is back to his normal self. For the most part anyway. He may be playful and all smiles now, but there's still a bit of pain reflecting in his eyes that tell me that he's not entirely over it. Though I'm sure that Christine calling him handsome helped him recover a lot. That guy's got a head as big as Mars as he continues to shamelessly flirt with Christine- though it does work as it breaks the ice and Christine seems to know there's no _oomph_ behind the flirtation and continues to playfully flirt back with him.

I watch in amusement as they both flirt, Christine giggles and there's a smile on her face as the tension releases from her shoulder, completely comfortable in the situation now that it's just friendly, teasing flirtatious comments rather than A.D. _actually_ flirting (like the first time).

"Good to see you two getting along so well," I mutter slightly, shifting in the seat, causing both to look at me with quirked eyebrows.

They share a knowing look before A.D. grins and hops easily over the counter to join me in the seat, hugging me tightly. He coos as if I'm a small child and hugs me close to his chest with his arms wrapping tightly around me. Half of his body is on top of mine from the awkward position- me in the chair and him standing, leaning over said chair.

"Awww, poor little Hye," he coos, and despite the embarrassment he's causing me, I'm glad he's not calling me GoGo (which only be more embarrassing in front of Christine), "Don't feel left out- we love you~"

I scoff and don't hesitate to gently shove him off of me, he stumbles backward a bit, but quickly regains his balance as he gives me a playful wink, blowing a kiss as he does so. I roll my eyes, but there's a small smile twitching on the corner of my lips as I finally get up from the seat.

"As fun as this is, I should get back to the college before they get themselves into trouble without me there to knock sense into them. See ya, A.D.," I turn briefly to Christine, "And nice to see you, Christine. You know where to find me if you ever wanna catch up or something. See ya."

I give them a mock, two-finger salute and lazily grab my gym bag before heading out. I originally planned on staying for longer- much longer- but even though that visit was short, it was a bit draining and shocking with Christine, enough so that I don't think I have the energy to work out anymore.

Maybe I should just get a coffee or something. Waffles, maybe? I'm not that hungry- never am really- but I wouldn't say no to waffles…. Besides, maybe going to that waffle place Tadashi loves so much may ease some of my fears. I continue walking down the street with ease, despite the fact that the sun is beginning to set and it's quickly growing darker by the second. I'm not necessarily a big person, but I can take care of myself. After all, I have learned from the best- A.D. can be a force to reckon with when he wants to be and is, by far, one of the best teachers I've had in terms of martial arts and defense.

But the sudden feeling of being watched hits me, causing my eyes to narrow into dangerous slits as my body tenses. I keep walking, steady with each pace, but I look from the corner of my eyes for the signs of anything or anyone. I'm met with empty streets aside from the cars that lay parked on the sides. Not a living soul in sight. A small shiver goes down my spine at the sudden chill that goes through the air and I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. Then I see it. A lone, dark shadow that stays a good distance away, barely even visible even as it stands near the street light. Even through the shadowed features, I can see the gleam of red glasses as it looks up and locks eyes with me, but the second I blink, it's gone.

The chill disappears from the air. The hair on my neck calms. But the feeling of being watched lingers around me and for once in my life, I feel… scared. Unsettled. I wrap my arms tight around me and walk a bit quicker. There's no mistake about what I saw. I know what it was. I know that it's still there, _somewhere,_ watching me. I don't know who it is (was?). Or what it wants with me. I'm not sure I even want to know. Hopefully, it'll be gone by the time I get back to the college and snuggle under the warmth of the blankets in my dorm. I can defend myself. I know I can. Against people.

Danny's supposed inventions and theories aside as I doubt I could access them if I wanted to and Danny's made it pretty obvious he's got more important stuff going on, how does someone defend themselves against a ghost?


	45. Chapter Forty-Three

**So due to being insanely busy (yet again) during the weekend, I'm updating now instead of later. Hope you guys enjoy, please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-THREE**

* * *

 _ **A Few Weeks Later**_

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

Frustration. That's all I feel right now. All I _can_ feel. I've spent a good portion of the day flying around the city, invisible and all of course, trying to find _something_ to lead me to Vlad and what have I found? Nothing…. The image of a nice Waffle place across town that I hadn't seen before comes to mind. Well. Next to nothing anyway. While waffles can fix a lot of things, it can't fix this. I grind my teeth slightly as I land on a nearby roof of an abandoned warehouse at the docks. Just where can he be hiding? I know Vlad. He likes drama, flare, presentation, a true supervillian as Fred would gladly call him. I run my fingers through my hair as my aura flares up around me. He couldn't have just disappeared. He has to be here somewhere. Hiding until he wants to present whatever it is he's planning…. Even if I don't know what it is yet.

He wants Hiro's microbots, there's no doubt about it, but for what? What does he want them for? Unless he's planning on using them to destroy cities. Or worse, destroy cities as Plasmius and rebuild them as Vlad to build popularity. With technology like that, it'd be easy to gain control of the corporate world. Or maybe it's something more ghost-related? Maybe he's making them anti-ghost? Use them to gain control of the ghosts that I currently have as my allies? Destroy my allies? Destroy ghost lairs without worrying about them so much as touching him? My sight gets a red tint to them as they flash a deadly red and I can feel the tightness in my mouth from the elongated canines as I think about it. My hands shake at my sides as I let out a low growl.

The sound of something stirring by the warehouse gains my attention, causing my head to snap in that direction. Even with my enhanced eyesight, I can't make anything out. No ghost, human, or even robot, is nearby. Though a bird doesn't hesitate to fly up and nearly hit me as it flies off. Damn. I let out a loose, mirthless chuckle as I shake my head, my eyes flashing to an eerie green as opposed to red as I feel myself calm down. I'm getting paranoid that a damn bird made me over react. Figures.

I mindlessly watch the bird fly through the air, following it with my eyes as it goes off into the horizon toward a certain little off-shore island…. Island. I nearly forgot about that place. My eyes widen slightly as I realize that it must be where Vlad is- I've checked everywhere in the city, but the island (Akuma Island if I remember the name correctly) isn't part of the city. Not enough that I remembered to check it. The same place where I tutored and trained Ellie must be where Vlad is making his hideout.

My eyes narrow dangerously as I rise from the roof and head toward the island. I don't even bother with invisibility- with the speed I'm going, the naked eye can't see me and I'd be nothing but a white smudge in pictures. Determination and rage fills me to the bones, but just as I hover right above the island, barking breaks me out of my state of mind. A barking echo on a frequency that no human is sure to hear is all too familiar to me. Cujo.

But if he's barking, frantically and desperately at that…. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. No. No. No. The breath gets sucked from me as I find myself froze in sheer panic and fear, my skin turning ashen and pale.

 _Tadashi._

* * *

I'm at the hospital quicker than I can blink and I'm not even sure when I even developed that power since it seemed to be more teleporting than flying. But there's no time for that. What matters is that I'm now in Tadashi's room and as I look around, I can see that things are not doing good, not by far. Cujo looks injured and is laying in the corner weakly, but seems more content now that I've arrived, I give him a small pat on his head with a quick _you did good boy_ that really cheers him up before I briefly glance around the room- things are knocked over, security cameras are taken out… Then my gaze falls upon Tadashi.

My heart lurches and stops for a moment as I take in the sight before me. The IVs are out of his arm- must have been done professionally since there's no blood- but there's no other wires connected to him. Nothing to let nurses to be alerted when his vitals are going wrong and _boy_ are going wrong. I don't have to be a nurse or doctor or anything of the sort to see that Tadashi is… He's not breathing. There's no rise and fall of his chest as he thrashes on the bed in an almost sleep-like state, gasping for air that's not coming. There's no pounding of his chest. His heart it's not... He's not… Panic fills my veins as fear washes over me, freezing me on the spot as I think about all the people I've seen die. Every person that I failed. Every person that didn't deserve to die. _He can't die. He can't. Oh God Tadashi. Tadashi. Don't leave me. Don't leave me. I can't loose you too. I just can't…._ Why isn't anyone in here doing something? How long has he been like this? What if he- No. He can't be. I won't let him die. Not like this. Not ever. Especially not on my watch.

I'm at his side in a second, my eyes burning in a mix of green and blue as my hands shake and hesitate over him for a brief second. Only briefly. That's all it takes for me to snap out of whatever daze I had found myself in and back into reality of the situation. _Tadashi. Oh God Tadashi._ My mouth turns dry and the hot tears streaming down my face blur my vision and I can taste its saltiness as it seeps into my lips. I can feel my aura pulsing so wildly that it fills the room, shaking like static and is jarring against the walls- even if it seems to comfort Cujo who basks in it. My fingertips feel a mix of cold and icy as well as hot and green. My heart seems to have stopped and is leaping to my throat. But it doesn't stop me. I have to do something I have to…

I take a long, deep breath and close my eyes, when I open them, they're narrow with determination even as my powers cause a few nearby things to short circuit and break. My aura concentrates onto Tadashi, flowing into his now fading aura and fueling it with my power as they mold together. The energy I pour into him causes my knees to buckle from sudden weakness and I stumble a bit, almost falling onto of him.

"I can't loose you too," my voice cracks as I begin to use one power that I don't use very often.

 _Concentrate,_ I breathe, _concentrate, Fenton, you can do this you can do this._ Forget the heart-shocking things that I would likely break and focus on what I can do. The Ghost Stinger. Or rather a toned down, focused version of it. I can feel the electricity buzz at my finger tips as the weakness pulls at me.

"Come on, dammit," I give a small shock to his chest, "Come on… Don't leave me like 'Dashi… I can't loose you."

Shock after shock. Three shocks is what it takes before he arches his back with a gasping, loud breathe as his eyes shoot open before he collapses onto the bed, breathing heavily and hunched over with a hand to his heart. I don't care that my aura is more than visible as it still vibrates through the room. No. What I care about is him. He's alive. He's…

I throw my arms around him before he's even able to comprehend that I'm here, hugging him tightly as I bury my face in the crook of his neck. The tears are streaming down my face as I sob freely into the embrace.

"I thought I lost you, I thought I lost you," I repeat it over and over again, my voice soft and raspy as it cracks and breaks with each syllable.

It takes a moment, but my sobbing eventually dies down, even as the tears continue, and my aura, drained from powering his, soaks back into me faintly, returning to normal as I gain control of it. Cujo yips once before disappearing- turning invisible to the naked eye- just as the doors of the room burst open and doctors rush in frantically. Nurses try to pull at me, trying to get me to release him, but I have a firm grip that I won't let go.

"Where the hell were you," I growl at the nearby doctors, even as my voice gives away, my eyes flashing even as I hold onto Tadashi, "Where were you… He almost died, he almost _died…."_

* * *

It seems like forever before things calm down. Even if I, myself, haven't necessarily calmed down at all as I lay beside Tadashi in his bed, holding him the best that I can with each straining breath. He's not aware of it, but Cujo lays curled at our feet with his head resting on top of my ankle. At least one of us is doing better. I'm tired. Drained even. I can feel the pull of sleep tugging on my eyes from how my much energy I had poured into Tadashi. But I refuse to rest. Not now. Not when anything could happen. Tadashi comfortingly runs his fingers through my hair, loosening most of the tension in my body as I make myself comfortable on his chest.

"I thought I lost you," I whisper, my voice raspy, but no longer cracking, "I… I can't loose you, 'Dashi. I just can't. I refuse to loose another person I care about. Especially you."

I can feel the way he gulps thickly with an uneasy, but deep breath, as he lets out a small shudder beneath me.

"...I thought I was dead," he finally speaks up, his voice as soft as my own, "I… I know I was dead. For a minute, at the most, maybe. I could _feel_ it. The coldness. The adrenaline. The fear. Then nothing. Just a brief glimpse of peace and suddenly… I'm back here and I… I don't know how."

I tense for a brief moment as he speaks, my eyes glazing over, knowing all to well what he's talking about. Hell, I've felt it myself. The accident that turned me half ghost killed me- I know it did- and I can remember all the adrenaline, the fear, the _pain_ that hit me all at once before it eased away for the most blissful peace. Every time I transform, it hits me again. The adrenaline and the fear, the peace. I shift a bit from my place to look up at Tadashi with clouded, hooded eyes. His gaze is on his shaking hands as his breath hitches.

"….What did you do," he asks tenderly, turning his gaze to me allowing me to see the tears forming in the corner of his eyes, "...Danny, what happened? How did you...bring me back? I don't understand."

The crack in his voice causes my heart to lurch and sink to the pit of my stomach and for a moment, we do nothing but just stare at each other in a tense silence. My heart doesn't even beat for a moment before I finally let out a strained breath, my eyes reflecting just how tired I am as I look up at him and brush his tears off with my thumb.

"I should have told you sooner," I admit softly, briefly cupping his cheek with my hand before I pull away in favor of getting off the bed entirely, even if my body protests the movement, "I wanted to, believe me I did, but I just… didn't have the courage. And then it got too dangerous and-"

I trail off as he interrupts me with a frantic, slightly frightened look in his eyes as he stares at me,

"-Danny, what are you talking about?"

His voice is a bit harder than usual with a small, edge that rarely shows. Whether it's from fear or anger, I'm not sure, but no matter what the answer to that is, it makes me unsettled as my stomach turns. I suck in a sharp breath, refusing to meet his gaze as I let my aura become more visible. Granted, it's not much as it's weak, but it still pulses slowly as it fades in and out away from me.

"'Dashi… I'm not human. Not completely, anyway…"

When I look back at Tadashi, I meet his eyes as my own turn into an eerie glowing green and for a moment, it's back to a tense silence as I stare at him, waiting for him to say something, to let me know it's okay to continue. But all I see is concern shining in his eyes as he looks at me and the second that he opens his mouth to speak up, my legs give out from under me and I'm barely able to stumble back to the chair with a small groan as a pounding forms against my skull. I blink back the glowing eyes as my aura dims around me- both are out of my control from lack of energy. I can feel myself slowly lulling itself to sleep and with each second I fight the need to regain my energy, it pushes my limits. I sigh deeply and rub my eyes briefly, briefly wondering when the tears started to stream down my face, before I look back toward Tadashi with a pounding, nervously frightened heart.

The surprise that washes over me overwhelms any relief I feel when I see that Tadashi is just staring up at the ceiling with a concerned, yet thoughtful expression. His eyes briefly flutter to me, offering a tired, reassuring smile. His hand falls off the edge of the hospital bed and gently, loosely, grasps my shoulder.

"If you told me that when I first met you, I'd feel a lot different than I do now," he says softly, closing his eyes for a moment, "I probably would have gotten angry and think that you're trying to just play a joke. Accuse you of using light shows and technology to do what you just did. I wouldn't have believed you for a second and seeing how serious you are about this would have made me take you to the nearest mental facility…. Hell, if you told me this just a few months ago, I may have done the same thing. But now?"

He takes a deep breath, his grip on my shoulder tightening slightly. I weakly place my hand over his and rub my thumb over the back of his hand, calming both of us in a way that I can't quite explain.

"After the fire," he explains softly, "...I saw you, Danny. I didn't remember it at first, but it eventually, slowly, came back. Waking up in the fire, groggily, barely able to breathe, sure that I was going to die…. Then seeing you, run through the flames as if the devil was at your heels. Your eyes glowing brighter than any of the fire. Your body glowing white against the red. I felt your arms wrap around me and it was colder than ice despite the flames that threatened to burn us alive….Next thing I know, there's a green- dome, I guess- around us and I don't know how, but I know that you made it. Somehow. Just like how you somehow got us from inside of the building to a safe distance away in the blink of an eye…"

I can't even move. Aside from the fact that I don't have the strength to even if I wanted to (along with the fact that Cujo has moved from the bed to make himself comfortable on top of my feet). His words echo in my mind as I try to process what this all means. He knows? No. He doesn't know- not everything, not yet, that's why we're even having this conversation. But he knows that I'm not… human. Not normal… And he hasn't done anything? No lab experiments? No call to the government? No breakup? Has he just been sitting here while I've been out looking for Vlad, wondering if I'd ever come back to him and explain things properly? Sitting here wondering what it is that I am and if it means that we can't be together?

Oh dear Lord. If I haven't spent my tears today, I'm sure I would be crying right about now. I can still feel that urge swelling though, but I swallow it down. I can't imagine what he must have been thinking all this time. Considering most of my focus has been on Vlad, I haven't exactly been by to see as often as I wanted. Guilt builds up in my gut about not seeing him, leaving him to Aunt Cass- and Hiro I suppose, though I haven't seen Hiro that often lately either or anyone for that matter. Before I can even speak up, apologize, _something_ , he continues.

"-I've been thinking about this for a while, actually and to be honest, it clears a lot of stuff up- your ability to pull off pranks without going noticed, aside. So the real question is what are you? Half human or whole something else?"

He shifts from his place on the bed, laying on his side so he can see me, his hand moving from my shoulder in favor of supporting his head and body. Any other emotion he may be feeling is out shined by the curiosity and concern shining in his eyes as he stares at me, waiting for an explanation. But there's no hostility. Nothing but concern and dare I say it _love._ The guilt is still stirring in my gut, but for the moment, I'm more focused on the bit of giddiness and excitement that lights up my face as I chuckle softly.

"Half-human," I answer him, smiling slightly, "As for the other half… You're looking at a specially made ghost halfa- purebreed and ready for breeding."

It's never soon enough to crack jokes, but at least it works as Tadashi flushes and sputters, followed by a few grumbled comments about how _of course his boyfriend is half ghost._ Heh. I figure it must be a bit ironic since when we first met, we couldn't stop arguing about the existence of ghosts and now Tadashi is dating a _half ghost._ He recovers from my joke quickly enough- quicker than he's ever recovered from one of my jokes before- and begins to eye me cautiously, up and down, choosing to ignore the suggestive faces I give him for it.

"So just how does someone become half ghost? But, uh, does that make Ellie half ghost? Or would she be one-third ghost- I'm sorry I don't really understand how this even works in the first place and to be frank, I didn't… I didn't really expect the answer to be half _ghost_."

A small, teasing smirk turns on my lips as I gently nudge him,

"Come on, 'Dashi, you didn't really think I was an alien did you~," as soon as he recovers from flushing at my teasing I continue with a more somber tone, "But to answer your questions…. When I was fourteen, my parents built a portal to the Ghost Zone. It didn't work so me, Sam and Tucker went to check it out. Sam wanted to get my picture of me in the portal and I was fourteen so I couldn't exactly say no to my crush, ya know? So I put on a hazmat suit, went in, ended up turning the damn thing on from the inside, next thing I know, I'm getting zapped with thousands volts of electricity and ectoplasm- pure ectoplasm, mind you, as that's kinda what turns the portal into a ghost portal- physically bonded into my DNA. 'Course I didn't come out unscathed. Scars and pain aside. I woke up with snowy white hair and glowing green eyes- a ghost… Freaked us all out, to be honest, since me waking up _dead_ wasn't part of our little plan."

I chuckle though it holds no amusement. Tadashi's expression softens as he adjusts his position to hold my hand, gripping it tightly as I continue on. Maybe it's the lack of energy. Maybe it's all the stress and emotions. But I can already feel myself beginning to cry again as my voice wavers and crack,

"At that time, my parents actually thought all ghosts were evil so I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about my sudden transformation…. Fourteen, 'Dashi," my voice drops to a softer tone, "And I suddenly find myself as something I never even thought existed before. Something that my parents _hate_. With super powers to boot- suddenly I can't keep my pants up anymore because they keep _phasing_ off of me because of the whole intangibility thing (ya know, the whole _ghosts can't touch objects in this world bullshit),_ I can't stay warm, my heart beats slower than what should be humanly possible, I barely even had to breathe, I kept turning invisible and all sorts of things that got me into more trouble than you can even imagine….. On top of my sudden existential crises, the portal had a habit of never staying closed. Suddenly, Amity Park is home to lots of harmful ghosts. Ghosts that hurt people, possess people, cause general mischief, all sorts…."

I take another deep breath, refusing to meet his eyes as I continue. The dam's broken and there's no hope of closing it now. Hiro doesn't know everything, but he knows enough for now. But this isn't Hiro. This is _Tadashi_. My boyfriend. The man that I actually _care_ about, _love_ even. I can't keep things from him. Not anymore. And especially not when I know that he's been thinking God-knows-what since my absence trying to deal with things himself. And _damn it_ , we're in a _serious relationship._ We have to tell each other things and right now, my only regret is not telling him sooner…. Though based on what he said earlier, maybe it's best that I haven't told him till now.

"And my parents, as brilliant as they were, weren't the best at capturing actual ghosts… and someone had to stop the ghosts and suddenly I can fight ghosts with my new powers so why not me? And I did. No matter what I did what it took to protect my town, my family, my friends… When I started out, my parents didn't know it was me- well they saw me all ghostly and thought a ghost just took my image, but it's not the same thing- and they, along with the whole town, thought I was just another evil ghost. Didn't matter if I saved them or not. But I still did what I had to do. Granted, I ended up fixing broken bones and injuries by myself or with Sam and Tucker's help. Mom always got onto me for missing my curfew when I was really out there fighting ghosts…. But don't get me wrong- I stand by what I've always been saying, not all ghosts are evil. Hell, I've been to the Ghost Zone more than once and I've met some of the nicest ghosts."

I tilt my head curiously at him, my eyes shining with a bit of confusion suddenly as I look at him closely.

"For someone who just found out that his boyfriend is a half ghost- not to mention, Ellie whose obviously at least one third ghost- you're taking this surprisingly well. Especially since you didn't even believe in ghosts when we met."

"I said I'd keep an open mind, didn't I," he grumbles slightly before sighing and speaking up at a more audible level, making intense eye contact with me as he holds my hand tightly, "Danny… I love you, for you, so I suppose it doesn't really matter to me what you are or anything, just that you're safe and not causing any problems…And I will admit that we will talk more about the whole _no more secrets thing_ discussion we had before," he says dryly, "...Though this is really shocking, I'll admit, even with all the time I've spent thinking about things, but I just… I guess I'm almost more surprised that you haven't experimented on yourself or something."

It's obvious the last comment was made as a joke, but it causes the guilt that I've been shoving down to rise back even more, causing a lump to form in the back of my throat.

"It'd be stupid to experiment on myself," I say dryly, though it tastes _wrong_ on my lips as my heart skips a beat.

Tadashi manages to give me a look I've only ever seen on Mom. The nagging, _you know better than that young man_ look. All he's missing is a finger waving at me. But the look does make my stomach turn even more.

"It'd be stupid," he agrees, the expression not faltering, "Not to mention reckless and dangerous to even think about, but that's not the point…."

He trails off slightly and once again, we're met with silence as Cujo rests his head on my thigh, looking up at us with wide, puppy-dog eyes that make me feel as if he's expecting something. I'm not what he could possibly want me to say or do- Cujo is smart so I have no doubt that he understood every word we've said to some degree. But there's not anything that we could have said for Cujo to want a specific reaction from me. All Tadashi said was that he loves me and loves me for me no matter what I am….

The realization dawns on me. _I love you for you, I suppose it doesn't really matter to me what you are or anything, just that you're safe and not causing any problems. I love you for you, I suppose it doesn't really matter to me what you are- I love you for you- I love you. I love you._ _I love you._ He said _I love you_. He admitted that he loves me. Tadashi fucking Hamada just said he loves me. My aura flares up, rolling off me in emotional waves. I gulp thickly at the overwhelming joy that washes over me, almost making me forget everything else we talked about- or about Tadashi's small comment about us having a discussion later about secret- because nothing else matters. He loves me. He actually….

A goofy, lovey-dovey grin stretches across my face as a blush forms on my cheeks as I look toward Tadashi with mischievous eyes.

"~Why, Tadashi Hamada, did you just confess your love for me~"

He flushes a shade of red I've never seen on him before as he lets out a small, sheepish noise and drops my hand as if it's- heh- _fire._ It's cute and I can't help but watch him in amusement as he stutters and blushes, rubbing the back of his head nervously as if he didn't realize what he had said. But he manages to look at me with sheepish eyes, the blush still deep on his face, a shy smile on his face,

"...I guess I just did, what a way to confess huh? I was going to wait until all of this was over, but better now than never, right?"

The grin never falters as I lean over, causing Cujo to jump to the ground with a slightly disgruntled yip. The way he covers his eyes with his paws doesn't go unnoticed by me, but I focus entirely on Tadashi. My hand cups Tadashi's face as I kiss him gently, loving, in a way that leaves us both a bit breathless when we pull away for breath. Our foreheads touch against one another's as we stare into each other's eyes.

"You know there are a lot of things I want to do right now, but can't do until your body is healed," I whisper huskily, "… But when you get out of here, 'Dashi… Damn am I going to really show you how much I love you because I do love you, Tadashi Hamada, I'd be crazy not to… But first, I got a lot of business to take care of first."

I trail off slightly, but the vaguely hidden meaning of my words is pretty clear. His blush deepens as he refuses to meet my eyes. His eyelashes gently graze against his cheeks as he blinks not-so-innocently and I can hear how his heart pounds rapidly in his chest. The small pressure that's 'grown' between us doesn't go unnoticed by either of us. By some miracle, Tadashi is able to bring himself back to the present a lot faster than I'm able to bring myself out of my own fantasies as he takes a deep breath.

"What type of business," he asks carefully and slowly, almost a bit strained, "...Does it have anything to do with Vlad…?"

 _Mood killer,_ I grumble a bit under my breath as I pull away from him with a disgruntled frown, crossing my arms over my chest as I plop back down on the chair. My eyes flash green and then, briefly, even red, for a moment as I feel the anger at the mention of Vlad growing in my chest, clawing at me to be released.

"...It has _everything_ to do with Vlad."


	46. Chapter Forty-Four

**So sorry that I wasn't able to update on Saturday as usual. I've been very sick this past week and hadn't had much energy to do _anything_ , nevertheless the energy to actually focus and write. Anyway, please review! Per usual, due to the fact that the omakes/bonuses are relatively short (and this chapter is relatively short), another _very important_ omake/bonus will be posted today as well.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR**

* * *

 _ **A Few Days Later**_

 **Hiro Hamada**

I spin a bit on the chair in my room, my eyes cloud over with a thoughtful expression. My head hurts thinking about this. About everything. About Danny. About Tadashi. About ghosts and half ghosts and _whatever._ I let out a small frustrated groan. Danny's _half dead._ He's _half ghost._ Thinking about as half ghost helps numb the idea of him being half _dead._ And makes him sound more like a superhero than some walking corpse. _A superhero._ A small, half smile grows on my face at the thought of Danny being a superhero. He did say that he hunts ghosts and protected his town from them so it's actually pretty possible he really _was_ a superhero. It's pretty obvious he has lots of powers, though I'm not entirely sure what they are. The idea of it makes me… excited. But the mental image of him in a skin-tight spandex suit makes me laugh.

A small light bulb goes off in my head as I spin to face my laptop, rapidly typing into the search bar. What did Danny say his town was called again? Amityville? Amity Horror? Amity… Park. _Amity Park._

 _Search: Amity Park_

Several websites come up, the first few pages are all about the 'gas leak.' The 'last survivors.' I briefly glance through a few, learning a bit on how long it took the government to help the city and just how quick the city itself was destroyed. City. Heh. According to Amity Park's official website – which described it as a _great place to live –_ it was more of a town and even then it was just _barely._ A small population in the middle of nowhere. There's a conspiracy website that claims that there was no gas leak. That it was actually a battle between ghosts or aliens. I almost brush it off as nothing more than just paranoid alien conspirators until I remember that a battle of ghosts actually was _possible… Wow never thought I'd say that._

 _Search: Amity Park, ghosts_

More websites come up, some are also lesser known official websites of Amity Park. One is Amity Park's news website that includes a ghost report just beside the weather. Articles about various ghosts. _Technus. Skulker. Ember._ All of those are just a few of the names that come up, along with multiple ones about workers on docks and workers at warehouses complaining about something or someone called the _Box Ghost._ Some talk about a high school counselor named Penelope Spectra actually being a ghost. But it's one particular headline that catches my attention.

 _Ghost Boy Strikes Again_

My eyes widen slightly as a picture of a familiar face comes up on the screen. Granted, it's blurred and instead of the blue-green eyes and the white-black hair, his eyes are just pure green and his hair is purer than snow… It's too blurred to make out too many details, even what's he's wearing, but there's no mistaking the slight white blurred glow around him. It's not the only article- this one names him as _Danny Phantom_ , others name him _Inviso-Bill_ which makes me smirk. But what's not funny is that some of the articles praise him as a hero, others as a villain. I don't understand why they'd call him a villain when it's clear he did his best to protect everything. Though the articles about him stealing and threatening the mayor are a bit harder to dismiss, I'm sure it was a misunderstanding or maybe he was framed.

But I'm right. Danny is, or was, a superhero in Amity Park. Not just a simple ghost hunter. He _fought_ ghosts, _trapped_ ghosts, _saved_ people from ghosts, saved ghosts from people. He was a damn superhero. There's a part of my heart that swells with pride and for a brief moment, all I can think of is _that's my big brother. He saved people._ Before I can dwell too much on it, I finally come across a clear picture of Danny _Phantom_ / _Inviso-Bill._ I blink for a moment in shock, almost stunned by his appearance. It looks nothing like the Danny I know today, not like I thought it would. Sure it's the same features. Same jawline. Same sharp cheekbones and slight, almost unnoticeable widow's peak. But he's fourteen and lacks the haunted look in his eyes as he stares in the camera with a carefree grin. He looks happy. Genuinely happy with no worries, no burdens.

Then I take in the fact that he's wearing a black spandex-like suit. I let out a booming laugh that shakes my shoulders as I clench my stomach. I don't even care that I fall out of my chair, almost knowing over the thin petri dish that contains the one mircobot that got saved from the fire.

"Ow," I wheeze through my laughter, still clenching my sides, " _Spandex. He wore spandex. Oh my god."_

I'm barely able to register the fact that my _ow_ has granted Baymax's attention. The nursing robot, due to Danny's instruction, has been on all day, but up until now hasn't been too concerned with my presence. The white robot leers over me as I continue to laugh, staring curiously- if a robot could even be curse in the first place.

" _I am Baymax, your personal healthcare companion. I will scan you for injuries."_

"D-Don't scan me," my protest doesn't sound very convincing through a serious of laughs as I pull myself up from the floor.

" _Scan completed,"_ Baymax announces, " _You have sustained no injuries. However, your hormone and neuron transmitter levels indicate that you are experiencing mood swings, common in indolence. Diagnose: puberty."_

 _That_ got me up pretty quick as my laughter dies down. I fight the blush that threatens to creep on my face,

"Wait- what," I stutter a bit as I shuffle a bit awkwardly, "O-kay, time to get you back-"

"- _You should experience an increase in body hair,"_ Baymax continues to speak as a diagram appears on his chest, _"Especially on your face, chest, armpits and-"  
_

"-Okay that's enough," I quickly cut him off and despite Danny's insistence on the robot to be turned on, Baymax has _got_ to go _now._

I try to shove him back into his red case, which doesn't work for obvious reasons though I end up climbing all over him as he continues to speak.

" _You may experience new and powerful urges…",_ I urge him to get back into the case causing him to continue, " _I cannot deactivate until you say that are you satisfied with your care."_

"Okay," I almost have him pushed down into the case, "I'm satisfied with my-"

I fall off of him with a _thud,_ or more like _slide_ off of him before I get the chance to finish. I let out a disgruntled noise as I stand back onto my feet yet again and glance back toward Baymax. But a small chittering noise draws my attention toward my desk. I gently push by Baymax to see the microbot moving about rapidly in the petri dish, almost as if it wants to get away to get somewhere. I briefly pick the dish up and look it over,

"This doesn't make any sense," I mumble.

" _Puberty can be a confusing time for an adolescent blooming into man hood,"_ Baymax chimes, but I wave him off.

"No," I correct, " _This._ It's attracted to other micro bots but it's impossible… They were destroyed in the fire...Must be broken."

I hum a bit to myself, ignoring the small nagging feeling in my gut that tells me that something about this is _wrong_ and set the dish back on the desk as I take my seat at the chair. From the corner of my eyes, I see Baymax look at the micro bot in the dish curiously,

" _Your tiny robot is trying to go somewhere."_

"Yeah? Well why don't you find out where," I mumble a bit sarcastically, a bit miffed from his diagnosis and unneeded explanation.

I know full well what puberty is. Tadashi explained it a lot more in depth than Baymax ever could and Aunt Cass explained it herself in the most embarrassing way possible. Actually, I'm not sure who was more embarrassed by that conversation- me or Aunt Cass. Then, of _course,_ Danny actually gave me an explanation of it too. I actually liked his explanation a lot better. At least included jokes. Even if most of the jokes were at my expense.

" _Would that help your prepubescent mood swings?"_

"Uh-yeah, sure," I hum absently.

It takes me a moment to realize what the question was and another moment to realize that Baymax had disappeared. I look up to find him/it _gone_ with no trace. Panic grips my heart as my eyes widen and I look around desperately for any signs of him as I call out his name. I rush to the window and glance out to see the familiar white blob roaming freely though the streets of the city, causing my breath to catch in my throat.

 _Shit._

* * *

I ended up chasing him all the way across town and straight to a warehouse. Or rather _inside_ a warehouse as we both sneaked into it when I realized that Baymax was right (I say _sneaked_ when in reality _I_ sneaked, Baymax is not, by any means, made to be sneaky). My micro bot _is_ trying to go somewhere so the real question is _why,_ better yet _where._ There's something about this place though that I can't quite put my finger on. It's a sinking feeling in my gut. A bad feeling in the air. A thick tension. An underlining fear. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as I move through the warehouse as carefully and stealthily as I possibly can. It feels like eyes are watching me where I go and no matter how hard I look, I can't spot the observer.

It's dark in here. Way too dark for the warehouse to be in use. So maybe we were worried about nothing. Maybe no one is in here at all and I'm just getting paranoid. But just when I believe that maybe we should head back, I see it. I see _them._ The bins full, _absolutely full_ of _my_ microbots. A machine nearby sits behind a curtain, copying more and more of the little robots with each passing second. _Someone is using my microbots,_ I realize, fear and anger bubbling in my chest. _But who would-_ my eyes harden as my breathing hitches- _Vlad._

" _The thing about Vlad is that he's manipulative- when he wants something, and for a long time, that something was me and my mom- he does anything to get it without a care for morals, humanity, or hell, even laws."_ That's what Danny said. That Vlad would do anything to get what he wants and he wanted my microbots. Is all of this _his_ doing? Is it _his fault_ for Callaghan's death? Is he why Tadashi had to fight for his life after the fire? Why Tadashi is _still_ recovering from severe burns? Is he the reason my _other brother_ is getting so angry and paranoid at everything, almost ignoring everything else?

My hands tighten into fists as my jaw clenches. I'm shaking in my spot, vividly with anger. I knew that Vlad was a bad guy. I _knew_ that. But the idea that he would go to such lengths is...almost inhumane. I suck in a sharp breathe through my teeth before I'm shaken out of my thoughts by the ground, quite literally, shaking beneath my feet. _My microbots._ The microbots are quickly flooding out of their tubs and forming together, running along the runaway that Baymax and I stand on, causing my eyes to widen.

My attention briefly goes to the guy standing behind it all, raised on a platform of microbots with his hand outstretched. He wears dark attire, but the thing that stands out most is the mask on his face. _Is that...Vlad?_ I yelp when I notice that I don't have time to think too much about it now. The microbots are quickly chasing after me and Baymax and the robot isn't exactly the fastest thing in the world.

I drag Baymax by his wrist, everywhere, in a vain effort to gain distance between us and the other little robots, but in the end, we barely make it out in time as the warehouse floods with the microbots. I don't look back to know that they're pouring through the windows like a black tidal wave. I keep running and running and…

I'm not even sure where I'm running to until we pass the police station. My chest rises and falls with rapid breaths, a bead of sweat dripping from my brow as I run to the front desk of the station. Words spill out of my mouth and I'm not even sure what I'm saying, just that I'm rambling, slurring words like _microbots, neurotransmitter, kabuki mask,_ all together. Yet whenever I do finally stop rambling, I notice the cop doesn't seem convinced. He just raises an eyebrow at me, unimpressed and skeptical, though he does warily eye Baymax, whose using the masking tape to seal some holes that are rapidly causing him to loose air. The cop pushes the masking tape toward Baymax so it's easier to reach and sighs,

"Look, kid, why don't we just call your parents and-"

I'm out of there before he can even finish his sentence, taking Baymax (and the masking tape roll- but that was an accident since I didn't exactly notice that Baymax wasn't done patching itself up) with me and heading straight toward the cafe. My mind becomes a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that I can't make any sense of. What am I supposed to do now? Do I tell Danny? Do I tell Tadashi? No. Danny deals with ghosts, but Vlad's a human. And if Danny was mad at Vlad _before_ ….. I'm almost scared at how mad he'll be if he knows about this. Besides if I tell them, they won't let me be a part of this. They won't let me fight. And this is _my_ fight. He stole _my_ mircro-bots…. _And I want them back._


	47. Omake-Bonus II

**This is the _very important_ bonus/omake that is relatively necessary to read to understand a lot of what's going on.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **OMAKE/BONUS II**

* * *

 _ **Akuma Island**_

 _ **Third Person**_

Vlad hums a bit to himself in thought as he sits peacefully at his desk- or rather _a_ desk that he has just claimed for himself. Everything is working according to his plan. Everything is in place and soon he will not only defeat Phantom to reclaim his rightful position as King, but he will gain control of the human world as well. He _will_ become a ruler. It is _his destiny_ to rule. He had almost succeeded, back in Amity Park, but in the end that backfired on him. It is only by a stroke of luck that a random portal had landed him in a different dimension. A dimension that seemed as endless and void as the Ghost Zone yet without any signs of intelligent beings. Well almost without any signs. It had only been a short time that he was there, but it was enough to find a pod clearly of human make with a human inside of it, peacefully in hyper sleep. It was an interesting find, one that he looked more into when he returned to Earth, but no, the _truly promising_ part was the ectornium. A substance that no ghost, or even _half ghost,_ can touch or manipulate. A substance that can easily be used to his advantage to stop Phantom and become the King himself.

It just worked in his favor that the person he had seen in that dimension was one Abigail Callaghan. The very Callaghan that was a technological genius with a strong sense of vengeance toward one Alistair Krei, who had built the very portal to get to that new dimension. It was all just _too perfect._ It played right into his plans like missing puzzle pieces. All he had to do was promise Callaghan that he could help him take down Alistair Krei. To avenge his daughter. The little detail of Abigail still being alive would just distract Callaghan from the true mission. Once Krei is out of the picture (thus also getting rid of one of Vlad Co.'s biggest competitors), Vlad will let it _slip_ that Abigail is alive thus getting Callaghan to work for him and retrieve the ectrornium as well as build weapons that he will 'promise' is for the good of the world.

Callaghan does, however, know Vladimir's half ghost secret so as soon as he is useless to plans, he will just have to _disappear._ Vladimir hums a bit more as he shuffles through some papers and smirks slightly as he finds himself staring a slightly old newspaper article. The cover shows many people, but only two are important to him. Tadasahi Hamada and Daniel Fenton. Even in just the picture, Daniel's admiration and love for the other man shows and while it's an unexpected development- just as it was an unexpected development that Callaghan's top student was Daniel himself. Vladimir has taken great joy in just showing Daniel that he was still around and even more so in making it clear that he was interested in that young Hamada's invention of micro bots (further research also made him interested in the older Hamada's robot). But what better way of making sure Daniel knows that Vlad is still around than to _kill_ the one he loves?

It was simple. The little mutt that was there to protect the boy was inconvenient and a bit of a hassle, but taken care of. It was almost too easy to just destroy the security cameras and undo _everything_ on the boy- IVs, monitors and the such. Though a sadistic grin stretched on his lips as he remembered the adrenaline and happiness that pumped through his veins when he phased his hand into the boy's chest, holding the heart just long enough to cause him to go into cardiac arrest. When the mutt started barking, he disappeared, knowing that his job was done.

 _That should keep the young badger busy and occupied for a while,_ Vlad thinks, _or at the very least, it will make him too emotional and I know how Daniel has a nasty temper. If it wasn't always directed at me, I may even be proud of that anger and the fear it causes. _The smirk stays on his face. It won't be long now. Not with Krei planning on revealing the portal soon. It's just a matter of time. He glances briefly toward his partner in crime, or rather, his new pawn in his plans. Callaghan.

Callaghan refuses to look toward Vlad, instead focusing his gaze elsewhere as his eyes cloud over in thought. Gone is his professional casual clothes in favor of a dark outfit. A kabuki mask with the built in neurotransmitter dangles loosely in his hand at his side. He's not exactly proud of himself for working for, or with, Vladimir. He knows the kind of man that Vladimir _pretends_ to be and just how different it is from what he _really_ is. It doesn't take a genius to know Vladimir doesn't have anyone's well being in mind aside from his own. Vladimir is selfish, but he's powerful. He didn't even know that such a thing as a half ghost was even possible until Vladimir revealed himself. But he's tried everything. He even stole that _brat's_ notes about inter-dimensional theory, read and re-read the essays about it, but it is futile. Nothing in those work. At least not for the portal he's trying to create- the one that actually _matters._ Sometimes he finds it amusing- that _brat's_ belief about a ghost dimension.

But his notes are just as useless as Danny's belief in the ghostly part of afterlife. Vladimir may be half ghost, but even that's more believable than there being an entire dimension tied to their own _full_ of ghosts. And Callaghan is sure that Vladimir is a one-time occurrence. A rare specimen. A one-of-a-kind. If not for the power that Vladimir possesses, the mild fear that it causes, and that fact that he's downright _desperate_ Callaghan wouldn't even think of working with/for him. A bit of guilt slowly builds in his gut as doubts claw at his mind. Is it really worth it though? He knows that Hamada would have died in that fire if not for Daniel (as much as Callaghan dislikes the boy's foolishness, he admits that he is at least _brave_ or perhaps just stupid and has a small sense of gratitude toward him for saving Hamada, the _true_ favorite student of his)- Callaghan isn't entirely sure about Daniel and Vladimir's connection to each other, but he suspects its because of Daniel's interest in ghosts, which would possess a potential threat to the halfa.

"...is it really worth it," Callaghan whispers, his voice soft and raspy.

Vladimir raises a single eyebrow in question. He knows that Callaghan would question their plans eventually- it's bound to happen when two of his top students are connected to it all, one hospitalized and soon to be declared dead after what Vladimir has done (not that Callaghan would know he was involved in that), and the other is Vladimir's own enemy. Vlad had just hoped that the questioning and doubt would happen later rather than sooner. A small frown turns on his face as he shuffles through the papers, discretely placing anything involving Hamada and Fenton into the back of the deck.

"Do you want to back out," Vladimir asks, his voice oddly calm and cold as he turns toward Callaghan, "After all we've done, I'm hurt, Mr. Callaghan. I thought we had a rather nice deal here… But if you really want to just disappoint your daughter and wish to just sit around and do nothing rather than _avenge_ her, then..."

He waves his hand dismissively as he trails off, a sly smirk barely noticeable on his lips as Callaghan shakes his head.

" _No!_ No.. I just," Callaghan sighs with uncertainty, his eyes frantically glancing everywhere, "I'm in. _I'm in._ For her."

Vlad nodded in content, but knew that Callaghan would say he was in. Pawns, as Vlad always knows, are easy to move and manipulate all around the chest board and he is and always will be the king of chess.

 _Checkmate, little badger._

* * *

Danny sleeps peacefully on Tadashi's chest, positioned as if he had juts plopped down and didn't move. In a way, that's exactly what has happened. They are both clothed- for the most part as Tadashi is still in the hospital gown and Danny had no qualms about ridding himself off most of his clothes, leaving just his pants, granted they hang a bit low on his hips. He rises and falls slightly with each breath Tadashi takes and thanks to his ghostly tendencies, it isn't as if he weighs that much. He's weightless. A feather that gently grazes against Tadashi's chest in a rhythmic pattern that Tadashi finds oddly comforting.

Tadashi, still awake yet relaxed and calm, lightly traces the scars over Danny's body with a concerned frown, though shivers at how cold his boyfriend's skin is. Danny briefly tenses at the touch, but forces himself to relax and drift in and out of sleep. Tadashi's attention, however, still lays with the scars as his fingertip grazes against the scar tissue. The crescent moon scar on Danny's shoulder. The claw-like scars across his forearm. Bite marks on his ribcage. Small crescent moon scars that resemble nails on his hips. Burns scars on his back that stretch across his rib cage to his torso and chest. Scars that make it look like he's been stabbed straight through. Electrocution scars on his hand and some on his chest. Some are deep and red with thick scar tissue. Others are white and completely healed over. It makes him hurt thinking about what just made all of these scars, but there was a certain allure to them that he can't deny.

They both firmly believe that they could get used to this, sleeping together in a way that feels natural. As if it's always been this way. As if it's meant to be… Which is why Tadashi groans in protest when Danny's phone chimes and the halfa moves from the comfortable spot with half-lidded eyes and a tired yawn.

Danny smacks his lips together as he rubs at the corners of his eyes, protesting the sudden brightness of his screen in the darkness. He lazily sits on the edge of Tadashi's hospital bed as he unlocks the phone and lets out a satisfied hum when he feels Tadashi's arms droopingly wrap around his waist. Tadashi's chin rests on Danny's shoulder. Unlike Danny, Tadashi seems to be a bit more awake and aware, likely due from the excess energy Danny had poured into him thus draining Danny of his own energy. There is, after all, a very good reason that Tadashi insists on Danny sleeping and catching up on his energy before going after Vlad.

 _From Hiro_

 _What's up Inviso-Bill? What ever happened to the spandex? XDDDD_

 _[attachment image]_

He can't even bring himself to be concerned on how Hiro knows about that infernal name the media gave his alter-ego or how he got pictures of his former ghost fighting persona- it's bound to happen at some time anyway as Hiro is a smart kid. But Danny groans as a blush spreads across his face. The familiar picture of him as Phantom, from way back in Amity Park, shows on the screen. Skin-tight spandex and all. He briefly wonders if it always showed off his best _assests_ and stretched that tight across his chest. He shivers slightly when he feels Tadashi hum, vibrating through his shoulder.

"Spandex, huh?"

The chuckle Tadashi slips vibrates Danny's shoulder more than the hum, causing him to flush deeply as he squirms in Tadashi's grasp.

"Shut up and go back to bed, Hamada."


	48. Chapter Forty-Five

**Author Note: Sorry I eant to update on Saturday, but health problems have really been taking a toll on me. From now on, updates will be on Mondays rather than Saturdays due to the messed up schedule of the past few updates. The only exception to this is Omakes/Bonus chapters that will be posted irregularly (for example, a regular chapter is posted on its timely schedule, the omake/bonus will follow the next day or a few days later). Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE**

* * *

 _ **Danny Fenton**_

I curse a bit under my breath as I start dressing the next morning. I feel much better, having regained most of the energy that I had released previously. But getting up now is like leaving that comfortable, warm spot in bed on a school morning. It's tempting to just stay in bed and not move for the rest of the day. The shirt slips back on easily enough and I stretch to pop my back before rolling my shoulder and stretching my arms with a small content sigh at all the pops my bones make. I glance briefly at the clock, it's _way_ too early for me to be out and about and my stomach twists as I look back toward Tadashi, whose still sleeping. Man. It is _very_ tempting to just stay here and watch over him, _protect_ him. And he looks pretty damn cute with his messy bedhead and peaceful expression. But I need to go after Vlad. I need to _stop_ him. _End him._ My jaw clenches and I finish pulling on my shows just a bit roughly from pent up anger. Cujo bumps his head against my leg with a small whine causing me to relax as I give him a tired smile and pat his head to let him know that I'm okay.

A small groan alerts me to Tadashi's awakening. God if he looked cute sleeping, now he just looks downright _adorable_ when he's all groggy, with half-lidded eyes, and hair sticking in every other direction. His smile is tired as he looks at me as he starts to get up, stretching his arms over his head and smacking his lips before he finally turns his attention back to me, taking in my fully clothed body.

"Where are you going," his voice lets on that he's not exactly thrilled at my departure, "….Leaving without saying goodbye?"

He says the last comment in a joking manner, but his eyes give away his true feelings. My gut twists yet again as I step forward and place a small kiss on his forehead, cupping his cheek with my hand,

"You looked so cute sleeping, how could I wake up," I tease briefly, causing his face to flush before I continue on a more serious note, "...I have to stop Vlad, Tadashi. You know that and I have a feeling he's camping out on Akuma Island."

Tadashi nods in understanding with a small frown and a thoughtful expression on his face. Last night, I had gotten the chance to talk to him. About everything- well almost everything.

* * *

 _It's hard for me to focus on what's going on around me. My eyes feel blurry and out of focus and it takes everything I have to bring my focus onto Tadashi's face, taking in every single detail from the wrinkles and creases on his forehead to the swollen bumps on his jaw and neck (a sign of swollen lymph nodes) to how his sideburns fell in front of his ears. My eyes are wide and my breathing is hitched and shallow. I can feel how my shoulders tremble and shake as I sit on the edge of Tadashi's bed and I'm barely able to register the fact his hand is clasping my shoulder in a comforting manner as I speak._

" _I was...more angry than I was scared, 'Dashi," my voice is strained, soft, raspy, and it's almost painful to talk as the truth, the whole truth, spills from lips, "More vengeful than I was grieving… Vlad does walk with a limp because of me and there are days that I wish I didn't hesitate, that I didn't think twice, that I would have ended him right there for everything he's done…."_

 _My chest burns with the guilt and shame, almost scared of the monster that I was on the brink of becoming and even now, I'm still there. On the ledge of the fence, not quite a hero, not quite a villain, tossing and turning between becoming the symbol of justice… Or a monster._

" _And I… I have a bad temper, 'Dashi," I admit softly, "A scary one too. One that claws at me every time I see him, a monster that just… begs to be let out. And I want to give in. I want to just give in and let my anger take control, to just finally ease that anger and release it all onto him."_

 _I stare at my hands, watching as they tremble. I blink and they're blue- the same blue skinned shade of Dan- but when I blink again, it's gone and I dismiss it as an illusion, a trick of my mind's eye._

" _Danny," Tadashi speaks up, causing me to glance back at him, "You're a not a monster. You never were and never will be. You're angry at him for killing everyone you knew, your family, your friends, your town… And you have every damn right to be angry, but that doesn't make you a monster. But that hesitation, that voice telling you not to give into that anger, that's what makes you human."_

 _He doesn't get it. He doesn't understand. I've already given into that grieving anger before. It was in an alternative timeline, sure, one where I became Dan and destroyed the entire world. But it happened and I was barely able to stop Dan from causing it to become a secure point in this timeline. And that same monster, the one that killed people and ghosts without mercy, the one driven by just blinding rage and evil, still lays dormant in the back of mind. It's still there waiting to come out. And during the Battle of Amirty it did. For a while I was merciless, killing every enemy ghost that I came across, my eyes burning red, my hair dancing in white flames around my head, my aura still glowing brightly and blindly, but it seeps with a darker undertone that makes every other ghost, even my allies, wary and scared in my pressence._

 _Even now, just thinking about it, I can feel the sharpness of my canines as they point, the monster clawing to come out. I swallow thickly, burying it down until my teeth return to normal… I'm a monster. I'm a half-ghost. I'm a freak. I'm half-dead… But I'm human too. I let out a deep breath, the feeling of the oxygen leaving my lungs feels better than any drug._

 _I give Tadashi a tired smile, tears bristling at my eyes,_

" _Only half human," I whisper, "Just a creepy boy with creepy powers sometimes. Other times I'm just… me. Not a halfa, not a hero, not even a ghost. Just plain old Danny."_

 _The times I'm with Ellie, even when it involves me training her with her powers, or when I'm with Tadashi and even Hiro… I don't feel like I'm a hero who has to make the impossible choices and sacrifices. I'm not the King who has responsibilities that I don't even fully understand. I'm not the leader of an army of the undead, charging into battle. I'm not a ghost. I'm not half-dead. I'm not a super genius tech student. I'm just… me. A dad. Danny. A brother. Normal._

" _Well, I happen to like plain old Danny."_

* * *

When I began to break down in tears, we ended up cuddling for comfort- which I don't mind, not at all. In fact, if it was up to me, _neither_ of us would have been clothed during that particular cuddle session. In my defense, Tadashi and I have just grown so much closer it's hard not to want to take things to an even closer level. At this point, there's few things Tadashi doesn't know. Like about me being the Ghost King and the deeper truth about me being a literal monster (aka the truth about Dan). Both are stories that are not important right now and may not ever be important. Well. Sort of. Eventually the Ghost King will come up, I'm sure about that, but Dan is a story that I keep locked in the depths of my mind, a secret locked into a vault with so many locks that it can't possibly escape.

Tadashi looks as if he's about to say something before he stops short. I snort slightly and playfully nudge his shoulder,

"Don't worry, 'Dashi, I won't be leaving you without protection. Cujo's been watching you the whole time, and if not for him," I falter for a brief second, my voice turning softer, "...He's the one that got me to come here in time to save you. If anything, he'll always alert me when you need my help…"

Tadashi perks up a bit, tilting his head curiously as he quirks an eyebrow. Even if he can't see Cujo, my dog has a similar expression on his face at the mention of his name causing me to chuckle briefly,

"Cujo," I look toward the dog, "Show yourself."

Instantly, the dog makes himself visible to the human eye, causing Tadashi to jump back with eyes that are as wide as his mouth, a hand over his heart as he focuses his gaze on the sudden appearance of an obvious ghostly dog- green, glowing, red eyes… I can see the wheels turning in his head as if he has a _processing_ symbol above his head. Despite the fact he's clearly not over his shock, I continue with amusement, petting Cujo as I do so,

"Cujo was killed by Axion Labs- a company back in Amity Park- when they decided that security cameras were better than guard dogs. But he turned into a ghost because he left his squeaky toy. I helped him find it and he's been loyal to me ever since. A lovable, forever puppy that really is a great guard dog despite how cute and cuddly he looks now, he can get very, uh, _ferocious._ "

Hell, when I first got here, he wasn't exactly in his adorable puppy form. He was injured in full beasty-mode which isn't an easy thing to do. It's no mystery to me that Vlad's the one who did it. Who _almost killed_ Tadashi. My fists clench at my sides as I stop petting Cujo, an animistic anger building in my chest. I can feel the canines poking at my tongue as I close my eyes tightly for a brief moment, not wanting Tadashi to see me like this….

"So his name isn't just an ironic joke," Tadashi jokes cautiously, "Funny, I should have expected you to be a Stephen King fan, but I just couldn't picture you reading some of his long books- or books that weren't 'scientific evidence of ghosts.'"

I relax at his joking demeanor and while he doesn't realize it, he may have just stopped me from giving in to my temper, forcing me to focus back on our conversation. Cujo's tongue flops out of his mouth lazily as he pants happily, jumping up onto the bed to properly greet Tadashi, licking at his face. Tadashi laughs, gently pushing the dog off of his face and chest, opting instead for Cujo to lay down at his side. He has an almost wistful expression on his face as he pets Cujo with a small smile,

"...A bit weird," he admits, "...never thought I'd pet a ghost dog, that's for sure… But I always did want a dog. Has he really been here the whole time?"

I hum a bit with amusement as I sit on the edge of the bed, right beside Tadashi as Cujo rests in his lap happily. We both pet the dog a bit as we talk- Cujo looks like he's in doggy heaven with his tongue flapping around wildly and a big grin on his face.

"Yeah," I answer a bit softly as I scratch Cujo behind his ear, "...I kinda sent him here to watch over you while I've been working on stopping Vlad…. He's the one who alerted me when something was wrong...If not for him being here then..."

I trail off slightly, my eyebrows furrowing slightly at the painful thought. The mere idea of me not being here for him, or not getting here in time, to save him is unsettling and _hurts._ It's a type of hurt that scratches at my core with grief and is hard to shake off. By some miracle, I'm able to glance toward Tadashi, absently scratching at my chest in an effort to stop the pain beneath my flesh.

"Then it's a good thing he was here," Tadashi says gently, his hand covering mine in a comforting gesture that causes me to relax a bit more with a thankful smile, "….So what that you said about Akuma Island?"

The subject change is appreciated and noted, though it does cause me to crinkle my nose with a big of a huff.

"It's the only place I have left to look and something in my gut is telling me it's where Vlad will be… And I have to get there before he puts his plans into motion, before he hurts more people."

"And what will you do when you find him," Tadashi questions.

I answer without a second thought, saying the first thing that comes to mind. _Kill him. End him. Stop him. Make it so he can't hurt anymore people. So he'll leave my family and loved ones alone. So that the world can finally be a peaceful place. No more wars between ghosts and humans. No more fighting._ I pull my hand out from under Tadashi's as my anger flares, my hands clenching into fists as my jaw locks. My aura, having regained most of my power, flashes frantically for a brief moment before I bring it back to me and try to regain control of it. My voice comes out a bit breathy, raspy, and _de_ _ep_ with an underlining growl.

" _End him."_

I glance to Tadashi, my vision going red from anger as I stare at him, awaiting his reply. But the longer I look at him, the more I notice he seems different. A frantic, nervous look in his eyes. An uncertain quiver of his lips. The almost unnoticeable scoot he does, away from me at first before he regains courage and scoots closer rather than farther. Cujo stands at attention, still in his puppy-size, but it's clear from his glare he's ready to go all out should something go wrong. I falter, blinking back the red and shaking my head as a small headache begins to forms.

"Danny," Tadashi hesitantly speaks up, his hand hovers uncertainly above my shoulder before he clasps it gently, "...What was-"

"-It was nothing," I cut him off, shaking off his hand and crossing my arms over my chest as I look away toward the floor, "I just lost my temper for a second…"

From the corner of my eyes, I see the hurt expression on his face before he forces a comforting smile and scoots even closer to me. The shame and guilt from losing my temper for that brief second rise in my chest and I can't help but turn to face him once more. I lean close and place an apologetic kiss on his lips,

"Sorry if I scared you, 'Dashi… I won't end Vlad either, if it makes you uncomfortable. I promise. But I _will_ stop him. No matter what."

He seems to relax with relief, his smile becoming more genuine. Cujo lays back down on the bed between us, watching the exchange curiously and I scratch him behind his ears to keep him happy. The promise of not ending Vlad tastes sour in my mouth, almost _wrong_ as if I know I may go back on that promise… Like it's a lie. It makes my chest feel tight and comfortable thinking about it in that manner.

"Well what are you waiting for," Tadashi speaks up, "If Vlad gets control of Hiro's microbots, then the world may not heal from whatever damage he'll do… Just promise you you'll be careful…. And watch over Hiro, okay?"

"I promise 'Dashi, I won't let anything ever happen to Hiro."

….At least that's a promise I can keep.


	49. Bonus-Omake III

**Finally, a lot more insight on A.D./Adrian and his past, his thoughts, and more importantly- his problems and his friendship with GoGo. Everyone has a breaking point and it seems A.D. has reached his. Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **OMAKE/BONUS III**

* * *

 _ **A.D.**_

I pace behind the counter of the gym, running my fingers through my hair, wondering what day it is and just how long I've gone without sleep this time. At least two days, I'm sure, but after that, I tend to loose count. My heart's beating rapidly in my chest and I feel my skin grown hot as sweat drips on my brow. I take an uneasy seat in my usual chair, hunching forward with my eyes wide. The quiet hours of the gym, the times that people rarely show up, are upon me leaving me to my own devices. And damn it, I've never hated my own alone time this much before. I just want someone to walk in and distract me, get my mind on something else. But my mind keeps drifting to Danny and Tadashi.

I can't help but worry for those crazy kids- I say kids, but in reality we are the same age…. Tadashi being blown up, more or less, and being hospitalized isn't exactly good news to put someone at ease. Having a tendency to burn myself on multiple things- matches, fireworks, ovens, and just about anything- I know how much just one little second degree burn can hurt. But to have multiple ones of varying degrees all over? To be _that close_ to the brink of death? It makes my stomach twist, but what makes it even worse is knowing how much Danny cares about Tadashi and knowing that with Tadashi being in that bad of shape (and with Danny running in to save him, no less) must be _killing_ Danny.

I don't have to be going to a college like SFIT or be a genius to know that Danny has a bit of a heroic complex. One that can put Superman to shame. I'm honestly a bit surprised that not many others have seen it, to be honest. How he holds himself, evaluating each threat, taking a step _toward_ a threat to put himself between said threat and others. And I've seen some of the stuff he's _actually_ done. Little things. Catching falling weights or other equipment and putting them back up- quick enough that it's rare for someone to see him, but slow enough for me to notice. Helping little old ladies cross the street. Offering a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold when someone is upset. Knowing just what to say to make someone feel better. It's one of the many things I love about him.

I groan, throwing my head back and rubbing small circles on my temples. _Love_ is such a strong word- a word I don't really like, not in that intimate sense anyway. But do I _like_ Danny? As in _want to date_ or at least _fuck his brains_ _out_ like? As in _like-like?_ As in _God he's so cute he should be with me and not Tadashi?_ Yeah. I do. And I hate myself for it because I've seen how happy he is with Tadashi and how much they love each other. And Tadashi is such a nice guy so it's hard to be mad at him. But I can't help the way I feel and the simple fact is that I do _like_ Danny. In a romantic sense. Which is strange and new for me since I rarely feel such connections, but I do.

Which, ya know, is _killing_ me inside because it's not as if he's been at the gym lately so I can't even _see_ him. His number's gotten lost or accidentally deleted so I can't even send him a text asking if he's okay or if he wants to hang out sometime. And what's even worse is that he's _in love with another person,_ yet here I am _daydreaming_ about him- not just going on dates with him, but thinking about _his skin, his touch, his body._ The scars that litter his torso are etched in my mind, taunting me to touch them.

I've tried so hard to hide it, but there comes a point in everyone's life where they reach their limit and I'm _so close_ to reaching mine. The stress and guilt and frustration is just building up inside like a bottle ready to explode and I just _pray_ that when I do finally explode that I won't do something I regret. Hell, I was so close to just breaking when that Christine girl used the wrong pronouns for me and I typically don't even get upset about that (usually it's just a polite correction or some shady comment to get them to realize their mistake), yet when she did it, I just… snapped. And thank God for Hye (or rather GoGo) being there to correct Christine before I did something bad.

I let out another frustrated groan, plopping my head on the counter, my arms lazily stretching out in front of me, resting on the counter as well. My fingers twitch and tap against the counter and a part of me just wants to go work out, release all this stress and pent up energy, but that would not be a good idea right now. I hardly have the energy to stay awake, nevertheless actually workout.

 _God I'm so tired,_ my eyes flicker open and closed as I drift in and out of reality, _I just want to sleep. I want to just… forget all of this._ Just when I'm almost completely asleep, I hear a familiar voice.

"Yo, Adrian," Hye/GoGo calls out and I lazily glance up to see her as she begins to approach me, "I know you're all into that spooky stuff like Casp-," she stops, crinkles her nose, and snorts before correcting herself, "- _Danny_. What's the best way to ward off ghosts?"

She pops her bubblegum and sits on the counter, inches away from me. She looks almost as tired as I am, as if being haunted. I've never seen her look so worn and tired and I eye the bags under her eyes (that are almost as dark and baggy as the ones under my own eyes) with a quirked eyebrow in question.

"Are you having some ghost problems," my voice is a bit more raspy and tired and I don't make any signs of moving as I just look to her for an answer.

Danny and I share many things in common- shared kinks, aside that is- and one is our shared love for everything spooky. What can I say? Being a Wicca has its perks. Plus it doesn't help that dear ol' daddy was a ghost hunter. Not the good kind either. Just the good old fashioned _speak clearly into the device_ kind of ghost hunter. Like a less glamorous _Zak Baggins_ from _Ghost Adventures._

"Something like that," Hye narrows her eyes slightly, but not so much at me as it seems to be aimed more toward whatever it is that's making her upset and losing sleep, "So? What do you have for me A.D.?"

She leans forward slightly, resting her elbow near my own and putting her chin in her hand, waiting for my answer. I falter slightly, my chest puffing as if I'm a bird with ruffled feathers. A bit of irritation causing my hands to twitch as I sit up straight a bit abrupt, leaning back into my chair, taking off my glasses to pinch the bridge of my nose. I sigh deeply and glance back at her with a bit of a small glare, blinking due to the slightly blurriness that surrounds her without my glasses. Does she ever come in to just talk to me about how I'm feeling? When was the last time she's even asked if I was okay? Or if I wanted to go hang out with her and her friends? Am I just a source of amusement and information? Without thinking, I snap as I feel the metaphorical bottle within me begin to bubble over.

"You know, I'm not just a human wikipedia," I snap, "Do you ever think about someone other than yourself, Hye? Do you even care about how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking anymore? Being as best friends as long as we have, can you even tell me my middle name? My favorite color? Where I'm from? My cat's name? Or hell, even where I _live?_ Or why I hang out in the gym and sleep here instead of my own damn apartment?"

I'm seething, I can feel it roll of me in waves and even as the words flow from my mouth, I regret them, but I can't seem to stop. I just glare at her, narrowing my eyes at her blurry form. She returns the glare, even if it's hard for me to see how her eyes narrow. She doesn't get a chance to retort as my cell phone goes off, vibrating against the counter, its small red heart phone charm shaking with each vibration.

" _~I scream, you scream, we all scream cause we're all terrified of what's around the corner~"_

I don't move for a full second before I tear my gaze away from her, quickly snatching up my phone with a tight grip and answering it without glancing at the caller ID. From the corner of my eyes, even if she's blurry and barely even recognizable without my glasses, I can still see Hye sitting on the counter. She appears to have her arms crossed, but it's clear she's still glaring at me as I speak into my cellphone.

"Adrian speaking, how can I help you," I try to keep my voice calm, though it still comes out a bit harsh and sharp.

" _Don't you dare use that tone with your mother,"_ a familiar voice snaps.

 _Mother._ _Mom. Mom's actually… calling me?_ I freeze for a moment, a whispered _mom_ escaping from my lips as the grasp on my cellphone falters slightly. Every previous emotion, every emotion that I've ever felt, leaves me, being replaced with a fear and a surprise I can't even explain. Not knowing who else to turn to, I look back at Hye with wide, slightly wet eyes that threaten to release tears as my trembling, free hand, raises to my lips. I'm shaking and I don't know what to say or what to do and even though Hye has every right to leave me after my snappy comment, she stays. She's close enough for me to see her a bit clearer as her gaze softens, tilting her head slightly as she pops her bubblegum once more, waiting to comfort me if needed.

I move my phone so that my voice won't be heard through it and whisper to Hye,

"...I haven't heard from her in years, Hye," I admit softly, my voice trembling as much as my body.

Years. That's an understatement. Last time I heard from Mom, she was kicking me out of the house and demanded to not come back until I was a 'proper young lady.' She just shoved a bag of my belongings into my arms, slammed the door in my face, and I never heard from her again. I'm not even sure if I should be mad or happy to hear her voice again. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this as a whole. Do I yell at her for kicking me out? Do I beg for forgiveness? Do I ask her if I can come back home? Do I hang up without another word?

Hye leans in closer to me and I lower the phone slightly so we can both hear what my mother says.

" _Well, it's a good thing you never changed your number, though how you're affording to pay your own phone bills, I'll never imagine. I wanted to know if you finally came to your senses, young lady, and when exactly you plan on coming home as such… Hello? Jenny? Jenny are you even listening to me?"_

My eyes swell up at her words and my hands tremble. I suppose that answers my question. She hasn't changed at all. She's not calling to apologize. She's not even calling to make sure I'm still alive or if I'm well-fed or to make sure I'm not even living on the streets. Some mother. I take a deep breath and Hye looks at me with an apologetic, sad expression before she takes the phone from my hands, and I let her, not trusting my voice to speak as I struggle to gain control of my rapid heart beat. Hye pops her bubblegum once before she takes it out of her mouth and sticks it to the, thankfully clean, counter.

"Yo," she speaks, her voice is oddly calm considering the situation, " _Adrian_ is still here, but frankly, you don't really deserve to speak to _him._ Learn your kid's preferred name, respect his identity, and _then_ maybe you can talk to him. Till then, _chio."_

She hangs up as if it's the easiest thing in the world to do before she eyes the decorative fish tank behind the counter and its open top. She tosses my phone into the tank easily, flicking her wrist as if she's dunking a basketball into a hoop, before she picks her gum back up and sticks it in her mouth and opens her arms toward me. My eyes swell with tears as I look up at her, almost like a lost puppy, before I collapse into her, much smaller, arms, crying into her collar bone. Tremors shake my body as I sob, my throat quickly becoming sore and raspy. My chest feels confined and tight as I hold onto Hye with all my might, not wanting to let her go. Not ever wanting to let her go.

She doesn't let me go either. She just rubs comforting circles on my back as my sobs slowly subside into shaky hiccups. As I begin to slowly calm down, she speaks up,

"Your middle name is June, you told me that when we first met- you ranted about how much you hated your first feminine name, but you couldn't bring yourself to change your middle name since it's from your grandmother, the one person in your family who always accepted you. Your favorite color is purple, but you don't think that purple hair would look good on you so you settled for blue. You're from West Virginia, United States, but moved to San Fransokyo because you wanted to get as far as you could from your past and your family. Your cat's name is Professor Thor Von Scooper because you love naming your animals with long, ridiculous names, but you also love just short, human names that don't belong on pets which is why your other cat's name is Bill. You live at an apartment in one of the best, most expensive places in town because you actually get a very hefty income from the gym. You hang out and sleep here because you don't like feeling lonely in such a big, spacious place, and the only reason you ever return back to your apartment is because you love your cats. I know all that because we're best friends, don't forget it and don't question it, dipshit…. And when you're ready to talk about your still-on-going crush on Danny, because you bet your ass I've noticed that since you haven't exactly slept with anyone else since him, I'm here."

She pats my back a bit hard and roughly before she pulls away from me briefly, grabbing my glasses and placing them back on my face. I give her a tired, but happy grin as I let out a teary chuckle, rubbing at my eyes before I fix the glasses on my face. I sniffle a bit more and this time, I'm the one pulling her into the tight, almost suffocating hug. A goofy grin stretching across my face as I chuckle with a tear-stained, flushed face. Though the flush is from a mix of all the crying, emotions, and the embarrassment since she apparently does know about my crush on Danny.

"Thanks Hye," I whisper, "...I'm sorry I was a jackass."

She squirms out my grasp, grumbling a bit under her breath, but her eyes shine in amusement as she gains her freedom once again. She gives me her classic smirk and a shove on the arm before she hops down from the counter, popping her back as she stretches,

"Don't mention it and don't question our friendship again, asshole- if I didn't care about you, I wouldn't exactly be here, now would I?"

I give her a sheepish, flustered grin as I scratch behind my neck, embarrassed about how I snapped at her and how I put our friendship into question.

"Understood loud and clear…. And about Danny-"

She puts a hand up to cut me off, a small playful glare on her face,

"-I won't tell. I never do. But when you want to talk, I'm free anytime…. Smell ya later, Adrian."

She turns on her heels without another word and starts to head out, a saunter in her hips as she stuffs her hands into her pockets. I watch her for a moment, hesitating on my next words as I bit at my bottom lip. It takes a moment, but just as she's about to exit, I speak up,

"Hye," I call out her name loudly and looks over her shoulder with a quirked eyebrow as I speak, "Black onyx should help with your spirit problem and iron may also ward them off and harm them…."

Her gaze softens and she gives me a small, thankful smile as she nods before disappearing out the door. The second she's gone, I wince and curse as I remember a small little problem. I turn my gaze to the now broken, useless phone that flutters through the water of my fish tank. _Damn it,_ I eye the heart phone charm that floats a bit above the cell itself, _that was my favorite phone charm too. Now it's just gonna smell like fish shit._ I grumble a bit under my breath, but stick my arm into the tank to take out the cell,

"Goddamnit, Hye," I mumble and curse, though it's not as if she can hear me now, "You owe me a new phone..."


	50. Chapter Forty-Six

**Oh my goodness, I'm sorry it took so long to update! I've been loaded with work, school, stress, life, and everything's been such a busy, stressful mess that I haven't had the time/energy to write.**

 **Please review and please enjoy the chapter!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-SIX**

* * *

 **Third Person**

Camila, or rather Honey Lemon, can't help but eye her friend with caution, unsure what to make of Hye's/GoGo's new fashion accessories. A silver ring. A black onyx necklace. Another necklace hangs a bit lower than the first with multiple things hanging from it- a few charms, gems, and various silver symbols. Many bracelets of various gems and stones and materials. A small glance around shows she's not the only one whose noticed GoGo's accessories as she locks eyes with Wasabi, who looks a tad freaked out and worried as his hands shake. Fred doesn't seem to notice nor care as he slouches into his normal beanbag chair with a large bag of chips- from his half lidded eyes, Camila could tell he was very close to falling asleep. She briefly eyes the two empty sections of the lab. With Danny being gone, it's a lot quieter through out the lab, especially without his music booming from his phone or the familiar, almost comforting, sound of large metallic pieces clashing together as he would work on his portal. And with Tadashi missing from his private lab, it seems so strange to look over and not see the faint shadow of his form as he works on his projects.

GoGo, however, doesn't seem to notice the curious and cautious looks sent her way as she continues to work as if nothing's different. Camile bites at her bottom lip, knowing that Hye isn't exactly a 'sharing' person nor someone who appreciates being questioned. But she can't help but take a step toward her friend with a hesitant smile,

"Hey GoGo," Camila speaks up softly, "...What's with the uh, I mean, uh… Those are some interesting pieces of jewelry you got there…?"

She gives a forced, strained smile as Hye turns her attention to her with a quirked eyebrow and crossed arms. Her eyes have slight bags under them, but they seem to be fading. She has A.D. to thank for that. With her feeling constantly watched and pretty convinced she's being haunted by some sort of ghost, she hasn't been able to sleep. A.D., however, did giver her some tips on what can ward off ghosts and even harm them. Blank onyx. Silver. Various salts. Jewels. It seems to work as she doesn't feel nearly as exposed and insecure as she did before, thus allowing her a few nights of peaceful rest. Her hip cocks to the side a bit as she shifts weight on her foot, eying Camila up and down before she answers, popping her bubblegum,

"Old school ghost protection," she answers easily, an eyebrow quirked as if to say, _I dare you to question me._

Her answer snaps Fred back awake, his eyes wide as he stares at her with an excited grin and stars in his eyes, shaking a bit from pent up energy. Camila, however, just eyes her with caution and uncertainty, unsure of what to make of the answer. Wasabi is at attention, his eyes wide- though unlike Fred, his eyes are wide out of fear and nerves rather than excitement.

"G-Ghost protection," Wasabi wheezes, "I- uh- are you having a _ghost_ problem? Is the lab haunted? Because I swear that I've seen some things and-"

"-Wasabi," Camila cut him off with a soothing tone, ushering him to take deep breaths, "Breathe… The lab's not haunted."

Fred takes a bite of his chips and swings to his feet, an unnerving grin on his face as he hovers by Wasabi,

"She's right, the lab's not haunted… _We all are!"_

His voice rose enough to startle Wasabi, who jumped with a yelp, raising his hands to protect himself from an unseen danger. Fred laughs, which frankly sounds very alarming and almost a bit evil, loudly, wiggling his fingers around as he dances around the room.

"Think about it," Fred states, "We're all haunted! We have to be! Don't think I haven't noticed how all of you seem on edge. How your hair stands on end, the cold shivers, the feeling someone's always watching you," he trails off with an ominous tone to his voice, "...Almost as if it's after all of us and when we least expect it, _BAM!_ It gets us!"

Camila sighs, rubbing her temples as he begins to rant on one of his crazy ideas (again). She hates it when he goes on like this- she never stops him, oh no that'd be rude- and she never says anything bad about the rants or him, but she hates it when his crazy ideas make _the smallest amount of sense_ somewhere in her mind. She hates it that he can have some truth in his rants. Especially if it's about _ghosts._ She's admitted there's a possibility for ghosts, but she's never really believed in them. But lately, there's been _something_ that's been setting her on edge and Fred is right about one thing, for sure, and that's that she (and everyone else in their little group that she knows of) has been dealing with stuff she can't fully logically explain. It drives her crazy that she can't explain everything she's felt or seen logically, yet Fred can come up with an easy solution that almost makes sense.

Wasabi gulps and backs away, his eyes wide and frantic as his heart beats rapidly in his chest. The more Fred goes on, the more his adrenaline and fear rises.

Hye, however, is much like Camila- she's half listening to Fred, undecided if she should agree or disagree with them as she stands on the fence. A part of her knows there's some truth in Fred's words- for once. Having seen the ghost herself, or at least partially have seen it, she's certain there's _something_ following her and with him bringing up some (admitted good) points, maybe it isn't just her after all. Maybe there is a ghost that's following _all of them._

Fred continues, untethered from their lack of enthusiasm, going on and on about ghosts and how they must be haunted.

"-The real question is _why,"_ he rants, " _Why_ is this ghost haunting all of us? Is it just us or is this ghost also following Hiro? Tadashi? _Dann_ _y?_ _"_

He wiggles his fingers in the air as he raves, almost in excitement over the idea of being haunted by a ghost. Well. He _is_ excited. But he'd be even _more_ excited if he knew what the ghost's intents were. Is it just a lonely ghost? A ghost that's taken a liking to them? A ghost just watching over them? Or is it going to possess one of them? Is it going to _hurt_ them? And who is it? Is it someone they knew in real life that passed away? Someone they never even noticed before? Or is it someone whose recently passed and is lost, unsure of why they're stuck here? Or is it a _super_ _villain_ _ghost_? One that they will have to fight off before it can put its deadly plan into action? One that Danny's fought maybe? His eyes get starry just thinking about becoming a ghost fighter superhero, even if he knows that it will be dangerous like Danny has said. Maybe he'll just be Danny's sidekick if it comes down to it.

"-Which is why it's important to protect ourselves until we know this ghost's intent," he continues, almost logically.

He puffs his chest out, a bit proudly, crossing his arms across his chest in satisfaction and pride. He deflates, however, when he realizes not everyone is on board with him. Wasabi looks as if he's about to faint- he's pale and weak on his feet, swaying back and forth before plopping down into a nearby chair with a woozy expression. Honey Lemon is sighing, rubbing her temples as she tries to figure out what to say to his logic- though there's something in her eyes that tell him that she's at least partly on board with him. Hye/GoGo has her arms crossed and pops her bubblegum with an indifferent expression on her face that makes him falter. He never can tell what she's thinking.

 _I should just call Danny,_ he admits to himself, his eyes becoming downcast, _he's the smart ghost expert. He'll know what to do and they'll actually listen to him._ He sighs deeply, a rare moment of doubt creeping in his chest at the lack of reaction from his friends- not even their usual joking about his outrageous rants were spoken- and looks back toward his friends. Yet a movement in the background gains his attention and he narrows his eyes, peeking over Hye's shoulder to an unfamiliar guy in the back near the wall.

His eyes narrow as the stranger and him lock eyes, allowing Fred to notice the red depths the stranger's irises and the unsettling ease in the air. The stranger looks startled for a moment, as if he didn't expect Fred to notice him. He briefly eyes Hye's strange jewelry with unease, backing away a few steps before he looks back at Fred and smirks. He gives a two finger salute before he _disappears into the wall,_ passing through it as if there's not even a wall, causing Fred to let out a yelp, scrambling backwards before he lands harsh on the floor, his heart pounding in his chest.

 _Ghost. That was an Honest-to-God ghost. An actual ghost here. I saw him- it. _He can't seem to calm his rapidly beating heart as he struggles to catch his breath, his throat growing tight. He's not sure if he should be excited or scared. Danny has said that people with red eyes are likely to be possessed, so does this mean that ghost possessed someone? Or was that actually the ghost itself taking a more humanoid form? If a ghost is possessing someone can they even pass through objects or do other ghostly things?

"Fred," Hye snaps at the outburst, "What's gotten into you?"

Fred snaps his attention back to her, his eyes wide, jaw open, his heart pounding in his chest as the hair on his neck refuse to relax, still standing on edge as if electric. He briefly looks to the others- Honey Lemon looking at him with concern, Wasabi looking concerned and freaked out and Hye looking a bit annoyed, yet there is also concern in her eyes. He swallows thickly, takes a deep breath and stands up, brushing dust off of himself. _Danny is a hero and I can be too. I can do this._ He stands up a bit taller, straighter, his eyes hard and narrow.

"We have to call Danny," he says firmly, "We need his help and we can't do this on our own."

They all share cautious, uncertain glances at that, yet no one objects. Each of them know that if it really is a ghost problem that Danny would be the best one suited to give them advice. He's the ghost expert. A genius about all things freaky and paranormal really. If Hye's honest, she knows she should have called him about ghosts first, expect she didn't exactly want to disturb him if he's with Tadashi. She knows that with Danny's overly sexual advances on anything that breaths and Tadashi being the flustered mess he is, it's only a matter of time before they _get together._ And she so does _not_ want to call in the middle of _that._

Honey Lemon has to admit that she feels a bit of reluctance to call Danny, knowing that he's never exactly pleased with interruptions when he's busy and that he's likely to be with Tadashi at the hospital. Wasabi, however, agrees quickly as he scrambles to get his phone to call Danny, mumbling a bit under his breath. Before Honey Lemon can stop him from making the call, he already has is on speaker, letting the dial tone be heard within in the group. They huddle together in Wasabi's section of the lab for a more private discussion, knowing that if the conversation gets too much attention it'd be the hit of the rumor mill- with Tadashi still in the hospital and Danny being gone to be with him, they're the two main subjects every rumor going around at the moment. Some speculate that Danny and Tadsahi are going to elope as soon as Tadashi is out of the hospital. Some say that couple is on the verge of breaking up- whose dumping who is an ongoing bet in many circles (people who have been wanting to date either man are more than likely to be the source of that particular rumor). It varies depending on who you talk to.

" _Sup Wasabi? Hope it's not too quite without me there,_ _"_ Danny's voice comes on over the speakers, but it sounds distorted over the line and there's wind rushing over it as if he's driving or running.

Wasabi babbles, his voice hitching as he rants about there being a ghost in the lab and how they need Danny's help, but he speaks too quickly for anyone- nevertheless Danny- to make sense of he's saying. Honey Lemon sighs and steps forward, opting to be the speaker of the group as she places a comforting hand on Wasabi's shoulder to help calm his nerves.

"Danny? Can you hear me," Honey questions, unsure if the wind from his side of the line is ruining the signal, "...We have a bit of a problem… Of a ghostly sort? We think…?"

There's a pause on the other side of the line- even the wind stops for a moment as if Danny froze up entirely. After a second, he comes back on again, coughing briefly, before he speaks up, his voice a bit harder, colder, and gains a sort of echo to it- Fred is sure the echo is coming from Danny's voice itself, but Honey Lemon is quick to shush him when he tries to speak, insisting its just from the wind.

" _Have you seen it? Has it tried to hurt you? Did it say anything?"  
_

He speaks through clenched teeth, or at least it sounds as if his voice is straining if ever so slightly. The edge to his words cause the group to share uneasy, uncertain looks. Fred twiddles his thumbs, glancing around frantically as if expecting to see the ghost show up again. GoGo leans against Honey Lemon with her arms crossed, popping her bubblegum, but her eyes seem to be shadowed and haunted, deep in thought. Honey Lemon looks troubled, her eyebrows furrowing as she bites at her bottom lip, uncertain of what to make from the underlying anger in Danny's voice- it's hardly noticeable, but she can _feel_ it and it feels _wrong._ Wasabi looks like on the brink of passing out, hyperventilating slightly as he struggles to control his breathing, his face pale and ashen.

"I saw it," Fred is the first to speak up, his voice uncharacteristically solemn, "He had glasses, red eyes. He didn't say anything, but when I spotted him, he looked surprised before he saluted at me and then just vanished. It was here at the lab, but he didn't say anything and he didn't try to hurt anyone- not that I, _we,_ know of."

"I've seen it too," GoGo admits, "Gives me the creeps, just watching me, _us,_ from the shadows. Doesn't say or do a damn thing, but I think we've all noticed or felt it somehow."

There's a deep sigh from Danny's side of the line, from relief or grief they're unsure, before he speaks up again. This time, Honey Lemon can't hear the anger in his voice, the echo's disappeared, and the wind has returned. He lets out a small string of curses that they can't make out from the line briefly breaking up, it just sounds like a mix of static and broken words, but when he continues to speak, the line seems to have suddenly cleared aside from the wind that blows through the speaker.

" _Alright, look, I… I wasn't going to tell you this,"_ he seems a bit conflicted, and a tad annoyed, " _But yeah, there's a ghost following of you, he's safe, I promise, and he's just there to watch over you to keep you safe until things have blown over..."_

He lets out another long drawn out sigh, muttering a few incoherent words. Honey Lemon falters, her normally optimistic and carefree demeanor collapsing during a brief moment of uncertainty. Wasabi fumbles, losing his balance as his eyes go wide with fright. GoGo quirks an eyebrow as she stands away from Honey Lemon and places a hand on her hip-she knows Danny can't see her, yet it doesn't stop her from giving the phone a particular look. Fred's eyebrows furrow at Danny's words, a small frown on his face as his mind goes into overdrive at the implied meaning of the comment- where they not safe otherwise? Why? What is Danny trying to protect them from- or who? Does this have anything to do with him being a hero/ghost hunter? Does it have to do with the fire of the center?

"...Until what's blown over," Honey Lemon questions cautiously, but there's only more static before the line cuts off completely, leaving them all in a stunned silence.

* * *

Fred can't help but bounce in place from his place in the backseat of Wasabi's car. Stars dancing in his eyes as he can't continue himself. Honey Lemon sighs from her place beside him, eying him warily, though her eyes show a bit of amusement from his enthusiasm. GoGo's foot impatiently taps the floor of the car, popping her bubblegum to stop herself from taking control of the car as her nerves became high-strung and tight from Wasabi's slow and _painfully correct_ driving. They had all agreed that a night out would do them so good- though Fred seems convinced that the night out is just a cover. He seems to have it in his head that they're actually investigating whatever it is that Danny's trying to protect them from. Honey doesn't have the heart to correct him- well she does and she's tried, but it doesn't work so she eventually gave up.

"Danny's gonna be mad when he finds out that we're investigating this," Fred sing-songs, "But we're actually being like superheros or something! Trying to uncover the truth! With a ghost on our tails! Oh, maybe he's like our mascot or something!"

Wasabi grips the steering wheel a bit tighter, annoyance showing on his face as he tries to contain himself,

"Fred," he speaks slowly with a bit of strain, "I told you, _for the last time,_ we are not investigating anything! That'd be _way_ too dangerous! Not to mention we can't face ghosts or something! We're, well, _us._ We're just going to go see a late movie and-"

"-Wasabi," GoGo cuts him off, her eyes narrowing as her arm stretches out across his chest, causing him to stop the car and mildly glare at her, "-Isn't that Hiro?"

Wasabi's eyebrows furrow slightly, but he glances in the direction that she's fixating on- they all do- to see a very familiar teen dash into an alleyway with what seems to be a white robot that's unmistakable as Baymax.

"Hiro," Honey Lemon's voice is laced with concern and worry, "What's he doing out here so late? It's dangerous!"

"Follow him," GoGo orders, popping her bubblegum.

Wasbai briefly seems a bit conflicted before he sighs and turns the car to a sharp left, careful to signal and to look both ways, before he follows the teen down the alley. As much as he would hate to admit, his curiosity about what Hiro is up to is just as high as the others. _Whatever it is,_ Wasabi pleads, _please don't let it be dangerous._


	51. Omake-Bonus IV

**The updating schedule has been really off lately and I apologize for that. I've been going through some emotional transitions that's been taking a lot out of me, my health has been going up and down (and staying down) and I also have some _huge_ state tests coming up for school that's been taking up time too. Stress levels are at an all time high. But thank you for everyone whose PM'ed me and reviewed messages of concern and checking to see if I'm okay, it means a lot.**

 **And though I think I've said this before: I do not own nor claim anything Marvel, this includes though not necessarily limited to: SHIELD, Nicholas Fury/Director Fury, Steve Rodgers, James 'Bucky' Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Sam Wilson, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **OMAKE IV**

* * *

 _ **New York, New York**_

Jazz couldn't help but pace the living room, biting her bottom lip with worry as her heart sped up in her chest. She's done everything she's discussed with Danny before – before Vlad even reappeared, they had thoroughly discussed what to do in case of his reappearance, something they have been preparing for. She's taken to their lab with every anti-ghost weapon they have. A ghost shield protects the house, invisible to the naked eye, though not to her boyfriend's 'employer' who have openly questioned her about why they're having such a strange blimp on their energy radar. She, in turn, has openly expressed her dislike toward SHIELD, though Director Fury trusts her enough to at least keep it up after explaining that she's in a potential danger. Of course, saying that you're in potential danger to the Director of SHIELD only leads to you being placed in protective care. Something that Bucky, along with his close friends, are more than happy to provide. Director Fury, though Jazz may not always agree with him, is more than happy to provide a secluded safe house away from the city.

She's tried to tell them as much as she can without breaking down – them being _only_ Bucky, Steve and a few of the closest friends. She doesn't trust Director Fury or hardly anyone else in SHIELD. But she tells them of a species that's based solemnly on an alternative energy that's not found here on Earth. Of how her little brother has been fighting these beings for a long time and how eventually, she joined the fight as well. How her parents knew of these beings and created weapons against them. How this particular enemy is the one responsible for the death of her entire town and her family and how her little brother is out there facing it alone because she has to stay here to keep Ellie out of danger. It's the closest to the truth she can get. She doesn't drop any names, not aside from her little brother's own name.

She trained them, the best that she could, with weapons that can fend off the 'energy beings' – she still isn't sure what they will think if she actually uses the term, 'ghost.' Blasters. Guns. Wrist Rays. Even the thermos. She wishes that she had Danny's gift for modifying the tech – she can create the weapons, but only off her parent's old blueprints, she still has trouble integrating it with other tech, something that Danny has no problem with. But this will do. It _has_ to. She's went over it all with them again and again until she knew that they could use them properly and that she could _trust_ them to protect Ellie. _'She's more important,'_ Jazz has told them again and again, _'Protect her first.'_ She doesn't explain farther. She doesn't know how she could tell them that if Vlad comes after them then Ellie could defeat him in the future, after she's grown up and mastered her powers. She doesn't tell them that if it's _Dan_ that comes for them that Ellie may also be their only hope of bringing back _Danny_ from him, or at the very least, Ellie may be able to defeat Dan as well in the future.

The clock reads just past eleven o'clock at night and she still can't sleep. She doesn't know if she ever will to until Vlad's taken care of and her little brother is safe. All sorts of different things ran through her head and none of them were good. She wants nothing more than to hop into the nearest plane to help Danny. How could she just sit here knowing that her little brother, her _family,_ is back in San Fransokoyo facing his worst enemy? An enemy almost worst than the _Ultimate Enemy?_ An enemy that's the very reason everyone they know is dead? An enemy so foul that if Danny isn't careful, he'll become something worse.

But right now she has other duties. She has a duty to protect Ellie and keep her safe. She cannot, no matter much she may want to, go against that duty.

"Jasmine," a familiar voice comments, causing her to jump, "Pacing won't do you much good."

James' voice snaps her back to reality and she begins to realize that she's not alone in the room. James, or rather Bucky as his friends call him, stands beside her with a hand gently on her shoulder, a dark expression on his face as if he's frustrated that he doesn't know why she's so anxious or why he can't protect her from whatever is scaring her. Sam Wilson sits on the couch, a slightly disgruntled expression on his face as he mumbles complaints under his breath. Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton (who Jazz personally isn't sure about, but it was clear that Natasaha and Clint work as a team just as often as Natasha works with Steve or Steve works with Sam) seem to be content keeping Ellie entertained – they all gave up trying to get the toddler to go to sleep, realizing that the girl will never be sleeping if she knows that several heroes are in her house – but she still has a cautious gleam in her eyes and her stance suggests she's constantly alert. Steve Rodgers, James' childhood best friend, sits on the couch looking a bit uncomfortable and anxious, but he gives Jasmine a hesitant, comforting smile.

Personally, Jazz is glad that Tony and Bruce are both too busy with other business to help – she isn't sure how she would manage with the two scientists bothering her constantly about the 'energy beings'.

"I can't help it," Jazz admits, wrapping her arms around herself, "My little brother is out there facing someone he may not be able to defeat and if he fails…"

She falters slightly and even as she says the words, she's not sure if she means Vlad or _Him,_ the _Ultimate Enemy._ She thinks maybe it's some twisted meaning of both of them, but she'd be foolish if she ever says that she fears Vlad more than _Him._ She closes her eyes and for a moment, the image of her little brother flashes in her mind with pointed canines, red haunting eyes, his hair spurring around his head in wisps of white flames, and a powerful white glow shooting from him like daggers. She saw _Him_ during the Battle of Amity. She saw _Him_ and something about it was eerily familiar, as if she's seen it before and couldn't remember, and that almost scared her as much as _He_ did. Because _He_ is her little brother, if a bit twisted and full of anger, but he's also… _not_ him. _He_ isn't someone or something that she can explain, not entirely, and she's not sure how such a dangerous, angry being can be dwelling inside of her little brother, hidden in the depths of his core.

"...Then I'm the only standing between him and Ellie," she continues, still unsure if she speaks of Vlad or _Dan,_ "- Him and the world… I know you're all used to this, but I'm not… I'm not a superhero, I don't even think I'm a hero. I'm a psychologist. I can handle my own, sure, but against _him_?"

She takes a shuddering breath, trying to ease her anxiety. She fought in the Battle of Amity, a war of its own, but that was a few years ago. She's changed since then. She's _normal_ , for the most part. She's a budding psychologist that's successful, pushing her way through another degree, and she has a happy, loving relationship. She's trained since the war, sure, but not like this. Danny's always been the hero, not her.

James doesn't hesitate to take her into his arms, holding her close. Sam grumbles about how it may be helpful if they knew exactly who they were up against, but he doesn't get to say it loud enough for anyone else aside from Steve to hear as Steve elbows him harshly in the ribs to shush him. Natasha nods solemnly, knowing that Jazz would tell them who they were up against when the time is right. She knows how hard it is to talk about what scares you. What haunts your dreams. And talking about it only causes you to relive it and sometimes that's even worse.

"You're not alone," Natasha speaks up, standing as she picks up Ellie and holds her on her hip, "We're all here to help you."

* * *

Jazz is sitting comfortably on the couch in the living room, her knees brought to her chest as she reads one of her favorite books, a warm cup of tea sits on the coffee table and a thin blanket is hanging off her shoulders. She tries hard to distract herself with her book so that she's not thinking too hard about Vlad or Danny or _Him._ Ellie is still fast asleep, but she rests on the other end of the couch with a large blanket tossed over her and a soft snore. A pillow rests on the arm rest for her head – Jazz doesn't remember putting it there, so she assumes James is the one who did it. It's early in the morning, a few hours before dawn, but the others are slowly beginning to wake up as well.

Steve is the first to come into the living room, giving her a small nod in greeting before he heads to the kitchen to brew some coffee. His broad shoulders and tall frame make it hard for him to navigate through the small space. For a moment, Jazz watches him through the corner of her eyes in amusement. Natasha comes in next, her dazzling red hair tossed lazily into a bun on the back of her head and she wears clothes that are obviously not hers as they devour her frame – according to James, Natasha has a tendency to steal Steve's, Tony's, and even Clint's clothes (by now she's bound to have a second wardrobe of just their clothes) and no one knows exactly how she does it or no one cares enough to try to stop her (aside from Clint, as Bucky has told her, whose tried and failed to stop her multiple times). Clint comes right after Natasha, looking worse for wear with bags under his eyes and hair all disheveled, he sleepily uses his hands to sign a few words to Natasha as he passes her, too tired to speak, and she signs a few words back to him that make him grumble and pout. Sam comes next, glaring lightly at Steve as if he's the reason for the whole mess, before he plops down at the table with a yawn and a stretch.

"So," Sam speaks up, "Whose up for breakfast? I could fix my famous omelets."

Steve snorts into his coffee mug, muttering something about how Sam can't cook worth shit causing Sam's glare to intensify briefly. Natasha and Clint are engaging in a conversation of their own, signing in sign language rapidly to each other. Though Jazz does notice how their eyes stay sharp and aware and in a way it reminds her of how her little brother never truly relaxes in an environment and keeps his guard up. The thought makes her heart sink slightly as she sets her book down to take a sip of her drink, staring in its contents as she wonders where James has gone and a small frown stretches across her lips. Thankfully, her questions are answered when James is the last to appear, coming in through the front door with a few large bags in his arms, disheveled hair, and a disgruntled scowl.

"Do you know how hard it is to find a place that's open this early? I thought New York was supposed to be a city that never sleeps."

Steve is quick to his feet to take some of the bags from his arms, a sleepy, yet happy grin on his face as they both set the bags onto the table. Jazz just watches as everyone tears into the bags openly, making a quiet fuss about who gets what from it, but James has no problem taking one of the breakfast muffins from Clint's hands with a minor glare before he turns and tosses it to Jazz, who catches it easily with a small smile before she bites into it. Clint tosses his hands in the air in exasperation, only settling down when Natasha rolls her eyes and hands him one of the muffins she nabbed.

For a moment, it feels like she's part of a family. That these people that's she gotten to know, not just as heroes of New York or as 'the Avengers', but as _people._ She looks briefly at Steve. A man out of time with a heart that bleeds for everyone and a passion to fight for what's right, but who also falters with modern slang and loves animated movies. Her eyes go to Natasha. A black widow who hides behind a guarded wall with a past that still haunts her, but who also has a sense of humor and enjoys making others fluster with blunt words. She turns to Clint. A deaf archer who doesn't let his deafness define him and who acts dumb, but in reality is a man with a big brain and a heart that longs for a more normal life and creates the biggest fuss if you eat his leftovers in the fridge. She glances at Sam. A solider who sees people as who they are and not what they are with a need to do for what's right and _always_ burns the eggs despite his insistence that he's a great cook. Finally, her eyes fall onto Bucky. As a soldier and now ex-assassin with PTSD, the worst case she's ever seen, whose haunted by his past and by actions he can't control, but who has a big heart beneath it all that just wants a family. A family she sometimes hopes she can give him one day.

She wishes this moment of peace will last forever, but realistically, she knows that it won't with the threat of Vlad, or even _Him,_ lurking over them like a dark shadow.

No. There will never be peace like this again until she knows her little brother is safe.


	52. Chapter Forty-Seven

**Alright so life kinda did a roundhouse kick yet again and I can't apologize for how long it's been since I updated, but I'm definitely finding more time to work on it nowadays (somewhat) and will continue to update it. I kinda decided to change the plot a bit from what I originally had planned for this story which also makes things take a bit longer.**

 **Either way, rest assured the story is not dead! Please review!**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN**

* * *

 **Hiro**

My heart has never pounded this fast and for a moment. My breathing is so sharp and shallow that it's a wonder I'm not hyperventilating. But I can't help it. A part of it is from excitement, the adrenaline that pumps through my veins at the idea of confronting a, for lack of a better word, a super villain. My hands tremble and shake as I sneak my way through the docks with Baymax. His upgrade, a microchip infused with marital arts and various fighting techniques and mild armor, should help us catch this… this… _bastard._ My hands clench tightly into fists as I swallow thickly. Vlad. He's the one behind everything. The theft of my microbots. The fire. Tadashi's almost death. I just know it. I can _feel_ it. And someone has got to stop him.

I have to admit that I never pictured him with a mask and dark clothing. He doesn't seem like the mysterious villain type. He seems to be more of the type who flaunts his powers, makes a show of things. A very power-hungry, attention-seeking man. But in the end, that's all he is. A man with my technology. He's not some overly powered superhuman. He's not a ghost. But there's a part of me, deep down, that feels like something bad is going to happen. Because if he's just a man – how bad is he that _Danny_ is worried about him? Scared of him, maybe? Or scared of what he can do?

I bite down on my lip and my hands tremble before I shake that out of my head. My hands turn into fists, nails digging into my palm as I sneak my way through the docks. I can't shake that uneasy feeling in my gut that someone, _something_ , is watching me which makes the hair on my neck stand up straight. I don't think it's Vlad. It feels different. Not evil, just unearthly. My eyes dash around me and no matter how hard I look, I can't really spot anything aside from a few darting shadows that I pass off as a trick of the eyes.

"Make sure you get everything," a foreign voice echoes through the air with a chill, "I can only keep the brat distracted for so long."

The speaker sounds oddly familiar, yet it's too _chilling._ Haunting even. It carries through the air, making it sound like it's coming from everywhere at once, and is too distorted to come from human vocal chords. I shiver and wrap my arms tightly around myself as I realize that if this stranger is speaking like that then there's only one thing they could be. _A ghost._ My gaze briefly flickers to Baymax.

" _Ghost detected – ten feet ahead,"_ Baymax's voice lists off, his robotic eyes dilating – a part of me is glad about Danny's little addition to Baymax, the other part prays that this masked man (Vlad) and this ghost don't hear him. " _Ectoenergy level – 9. Ectosignature recognized as – Plasmius._ _Ghost Emergency Protocol Blue initiated._ _Contacting – Dan_ _iel_ _Fenton."_

Plasmius huh? I furrow my brows and wonder who that is, what its intents are, and just bad a level 9 energy can be. A red blast flies past my head and my eyes widen as my heart skips a beat. _Okay so level 9 is apparently very powerful._ I gulp and it's hard for me even look up from the sheer panic and fear that suddenly overcomes my veins. Every hair on my body stands on end and the sudden chill in the air becomes stronger and more apparent at the sight of the ghost before me. _Plasmius,_ as Baymax called it – Danny must have had some sort of file on certain ghosts and have included that into Baymax's programming.

But every image of a ghost that I could ever imagine is nothing compared to this one. Blue, translucent skin with visible veins. Glowing red eyes without pupils – staring into them strikes me deep into my soul. Pointed canines. Hair swept resembling horns. A freaking cape. A dark red glow surrounds it menacingly, bleeding into the air. Unlike Danny's own glow, it does project safety or warmth. It projects _EVIL. Fear. Darkness._ Every thing about it, _him,_ screams just one thing. _Run away._

Danny taught me to fight ghosts – but _that,_ it's just something else entirely. I don't really suppose it matters in the end. I can't bring my legs, or any other part of me to move. My whole body just _freezes_ in panic and fear. Everything I ever learned from Danny just _vanishes_ as the beast looms over me, hovering in the air with its arms crossed and eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Do you know what happens to annoying pests? They get _exterminated._ "

His hand flares up in red glowing flames, similar to the blast that shot by my head moments ago. It flies through the air and I close my eyes tightly, preparing myself for the worst. But a familiar grasp on my arm yanks me out of the way – Baymax. A green shield wraps around us as the robot carries me in his arms – he's walking faster than I even knew he could.

"Baymax," my voice shakes more than I'd like as I cling to the robot, "What are you doing?"

" _My ghost protocol programming will not allow you to face off this particular ghost,"_ Baymax never falters and his chest still rings – Danny has yet to pick up the phone, it seems. I really wish that whatever my brother-but-not-of-blood is doing right now can be put on hold so he can help me out. I know he's not going to be happy to hear I've been out investigating on my own and even less so that I ran into a ghost that was labeled as a level 9 (doesn't take a genius to figure out that level 9 is a pretty powerful ghost that shouldn't be messed with).

We don't get that much farther until we run – quite literally – into the side of a car. The ghost is gaining on us quickly and I can hear it scream curses in frustration. The car door opens and I get yanked inside by a familiar face. Honey Lemon. Good. I take a deep breath, my heart still racing,

"GO! We need to get out of here!"

Baymax clings to the roof of the car, leaning half way in through the opened window. The car doesn't make any sort of movement and I'm met with blank stares – Honey Lemon, Wasabi, GoGo, Fred. Everyone but the one person I wanted to see right about now. The one person that's actually equipped to deal with this ghost menace.

"What's the hur-," Wasabi begins to ask, only for the question to turn into a girly shriek as a red blast explodes in front of the car.

GoGo is the first to react. Shoving Wasabi out of the way, she takes over the driving and floors it, dodging every blast that comes our way. Wasabi is on the verge of a panic attack – he's hyperventilating into a bag that was shoved into his hands by Fred. GoGo seems the least concerned – aside from Fred, whose staring out the back window with wide eyes and a grin. But unlike Fred, GoGo has a stern expression on her face and her driving, along with the green shield that Baymax is still emitting that covers the car, is the only thing keeping us alive right now. Honey Lemon clings to me, bringing me close and whispering words of comfort. Whether the words are for me or her or both, I don't know.

"Is that what I think it is," Wasabi manages to ask, glancing back behind us with fear in his eyes.

"Oh yeah," Fred's grin reaches from ear to ear, "That's _definitely_ a ghost! Oh this would be so cool if it wasn't trying to kill us!"

Honey Lemon lightly glares at him, but any legitimate menace in her eyes is overshadowed by the fear and panic. Fred flinches and offers an apologetic expression. Beneath the excitement, however, I can see that even he's scared. I don't blame him. We all are. I curl my legs and feet up on the seat, blinking back any tears – our lives wouldn't be in danger if I didn't go poking around. Am I the brat that Plasmius (as Baymax called it) mentioned? Honey Lemon takes me in her arms, rubbing circles on my back, wincing at every sharp turn that GoGo makes and every bump the car slightly jumps. The red flares of lights still burst around us and I can see the frustration and sweat building on GoGo's face as it becomes harder and harder to dodge the attacks. Wasabi looks just as close as crying as I feel as he makes himself as small as possible to give as much control as he can over to GoGo.

"Hey," Fred calls out, "Looks like something else is fighting that thing!"

I glance through the back window – Plasmius is farther behind us. Enough that I can only see a blurred figure of him fighting what I can only assume is another ghost – white, some sort of hat, and what looks to be some sort of cane. I swallow thickly and breathe a sigh of relief that we've been given more time to escape.

" _Contacting Daniel Fenton,"_ Baymax repeats yet again – there's no emotion in his voice yet someone I believe that even he's getting frustrated at Danny's lack of answering, " _Daniel Fenton – connected."_

We all tense and glance toward Baymax, our hearts skipping a beat. Honey Lemon's grasp on me tightens and I know we're all hoping that somehow, someway, Danny can make this all better even if he's not actually here.

" _Hello,"_ Danny's voice questions, and I can vaguely see the skype screen up on Baymax's chest of his face – he looks worn out, angry, tired, but the background scenery resembles clouds and there's ambient noise of wind, " _Um? Anyone?"_

"Danny," I shriek, "I'm sorry! But Vlad has to be the one that started the fire and stole my microbots ut when I found them, he was in some sort of mask and chased me and Baymax off, but I found him again at the docks talking to some ghost and now the ghost is chasing us – Baymax called him Plasmius and it's shooting this beams everywhere and I thought that Baymax wasn't equipped with ghost tech but he has some sort of shield around us - "

My words slur together as I talk quickly, my voice wavering and breaking every few words. My breathing hitches and I can barely pull myself together enough to see the flash of red in Danny's eyes as he breaths deeply,

" _Amorpho has new orders to attack Plasmius if you're in direct danger from him. He'll protect you for now, but he can't hold off Plasmius forever. Baymax – get them to safety and keep them safe – this is a direct order, Ghost Emergency Protocol Red."_

Baymax's eyes dilate as he takes in the orders – they have to have been programmed into that ghost chip Danny installed into him. But Danny doesn't explain farther, hanging up looking angrier than he did when he first answered.

* * *

We make it safely all the way to what's apparently Fred's house – despite the pictures on the walls and the room that is obviously only something he can come up with, I still have my doubts that he's actually this rich. The mansion is huge. His bedroom alone is bigger than the cafe. Not to mention the obviously expensive and practically priceless merchandise. I can't even begin to imagine what that commissioned painting of him would have cost. But right now, I – _we –_ have bigger problems than Fred's finical secret.

At the moment, everyone seems to be taking this crisis differently. Wasabi has taken to the corner, breathing into a brown paper bag. Honey Lemon is biting at her lip with furrowed brows, mumbling a few things to herself – she's trying desperately to make sense of all this, to put the puzzle pieces together. GoGo looks frustrated, but leans back into a beanbag chair with closed eyes. She's already made it clear that she'll chew out anyone who tries to bother her. Personally, I think that, like Honey, she's trying to put puzzle pieces together, to try to figure out how all of this ties in, and in the process has given herself as major migraine. Fred is pacing back and forth, rambling on about ghosts and comic books and superheroes. I favor laying on the couch, trying to regain my rational thoughts and get a better control on my breathing.

Baymax has already treated several minors injuries and has yet to drop the green shield that surrounds us. Plasmius has yet to find us, but I have a sinking feeling in my gut that we'd run into him again fairly soon. Danny, or even Danny's 'ghost friend Amorpho' that he sent to protect us, has yet to show or contact us. I hope his friend's okay though – can ghosts even get hurt? Or die again or something?

"Hey Baymax," I stretch on the couch, "I think we need to get you to charger – your battery must be on the edge of fried right about now."

" _Incorrect – battery is at 97 percent and fully operational. The chip that Daniel Fenton had programmed into me provides me with a secondary energy source for ghost protocols. This energy – ectoplasm – cycles within in my system thus making it more effective and time efficient while preserving my main battery."_

Oh. I guess that means Danny has programmed a lot more into Baymax than what he ever told us. Like _a lot, a lot._ As in, _I doubt Takashi knows about all of this._ I wonder what else he can do, but before I can ask another question, GoGo finally speaks up.

"Baymax – what order did Danny activate? What is _Ghost Emergency Protocol?"_

Wasabi's breathing slows as he glances over, curious about the answer himself. We all are, even if I'm not too happy with GoGo interrupting me. Like moths to a flame, we all flock around Baymax for answers that (right now) only he can provide.

" _Ghost Emergency Protocols – an emergency protocol programmed within my system to be activated in dire times of distress. Automatically activated when a ghost's presence is noted. Programmed to –_ _warn and_ _clear the area of civilians and within a safe distance away with family as priority. Family is listed as – Hiro Hamada, Takashi Hamada, Cas Hamada, Ellie Fenton, Jasmine Fenton. Exceptions to this protocol includes the following ectoplasm_ _ic_ _entities – Frostbite_ _(energy level - 8)_ _, Clockwork_ _(energy level - 9)_ _, Ghostwriter_ _(energy level - 9)_ _, Amorpho_ _(energy level -_ _5_ _)_ _, Wulf_ _(energy level - 4)_ _, Princess Dora_ _(energy level - 5)_ _, Pandora_ _(energy level - 6)_ _._

 _Ghost Emergency Protocol Blue – activated automatically when a particular ectoplasmic entity is noted._ _Programed to – activate a ghost shield around the surrounding area and to immediately take listed family to a safer location farther than a ten mile radius within in the entity. Do not lower shield. Stay with the listed members unless a direct override is ordered. Contact Daniel Fenton immediately. Entities included within this protocol are as follows – Plasmius_ _(energy level - 9)_ _, Pariah_ _(energy level – 9)_ _, Vortex_ _(energy level – 9)_ _, and entities with an energy reading level higher than_ _eight._ _"_

Baymax pauses – a small lag within his programming, which makes me frown, but it offers a breather as we take in the information given to us. The names of the ghosts listed swarm in my head. Are those other ghost friends of his? The non-bad ones? Friendly ones? Neutral ones? Or ones that may even help us out?

" _Ghost Emergency Protocol Red – activated by direct order and not by a particular entity presence. Protocol programming listed as Protocol Red with a more direct prioritization of safety of listed family. Do not engage the entity. Do not let anyone listed as family member engage the entity at any costs. Absolute refusal of any override unless directed by Daniel Fenton._

 _Ghost Emergency Protocol Alpha – activated automatically. Follows the protocol programming of Ghost Emergency Protocol Red with the immediate contact of Jasmine Fenton_ _and entities listed – Clockwork, Frostbite_ _. Engage entity after safety of listed family is secured. Refusal of all overrides. Entity included within this protocol is – Dan_ _(energy level - 1_ _5_ _)_ _."_

We pause at the last protocol. Plasmius has already made it very clear that it's a big bad. A _very_ big, _very powerful,_ bad. A super villain without morals, like Vlad – who has to be just as demented as that monster to work with it. But what's so bad about this Dan entity – ghost, whatever- that he deserves his own protocol?

"Dan," Fred mutters, and hearing the name out loud just makes my stomach turn – it's too similar to Danny, "Baymax – whose Dan?"

" _Access to file – Dan Phantom – denied."_

Well. At least we know it's full name is _Dan Phantom,_ which still sounds way too much like _Danny Fenton._ According to the protocol file he has, however, he's apparently an energy level 15. The fact that he's almost double the energy level of Plasmius makes me feel even worse. I smack my lips and swallow down the nerves and fear. GoGo moves from her spot, stretching before leaning forward with a stern expression,

"What about access to Plasmius' file? What can you tell us about him Baymax?"

"Um why do we need to know about him," Wasabi piques up, "It's not like we're actually going to try to find or _fight_ that thing? Right? _Right?"_

GoGo stretches as she stands from her spot, "Not without the proper equipment first. But we need to know more first if we want to actually do anything."

" _Access to file – Vladimir Plasmius – cleared. Access to all information – denied. File is as shown."_

The screen on his chest lights up and a file – though a majority of it is blackened out, likely due to our access for all information of the file being denied. The similarities in names - though this one takes after Vlad Masters rather than Danny – is still unsettling. But we can't help but look over what information is given to us, which isn't much. His powers. His appearance. His energy level. A brief history that states that his haunt used to be Wisconsin and Illinois. There's really not anything on him.

Wasabi breaths a sigh of relief, as if the lack of information will stop us from pursuing anything. But it's just not that simple. I'm beginning to think _nothing_ is simple anymore. Vlad as some masked man who stole my microbots. Plasmius, some evil ghost that's working with Vlad. Plotting who knows what. Not to mention the fact that Danny, my brother's boyfriend, is _half ghost._ I plop down on the nearby beanbag chair, my expression wide but somewhat blank as I take everything in.

 _I could have died today. We all could have._ Ghost hunting is apparently a lot harder and a lot more dangerous than what I thought.

"This doesn't really tell us much," Honey Lemon muses, biting down on her bottom lip in worry, "And what exactly is our game plan?"

"Well it's simple, really," Fred scoffs, shrugging in a _duh_ manner, "We get some ghost hunting sh- _stuff_ from Casper and go kick some ghost ass!"

GoGo mutters about his slip of tongue as he had managed to catch himself before saying the word _shit_ , yet still said the word _ass._ Not that I don't already know what those words are. Fred, however, ignores her and continues to rant. He snatches me up from the beanbag chair, wrapping his arm around my shoulders with a big grin on his face,

"Besides Hiro and I have done some training with Casper so we know what we're doing! Right, Hiro?"

I stare blankly at him, about to speak up, but I get cut off by Baymax.

" _Ghost detected – ten feet outside the radius of the ghost shield. Energy level – 5. Ectosignature recognized as – Amorpho. Entity listed under – Ally; Benign. Lowering shield for access."_

Well. Shit.


	53. Chapter Forty-Eight

**Because so many asked - originally, this part of the fic was going to follow the movie plot a lot more and it was going to be a lot more light-hearted, but the problem with that was that I wasn't sure at that time how I was going to fit Vlad into that. So I changed it and wanted to be more inspired by the movie instead of following it almost word for word so I can branch out from the canon. If that makes any sense at all?**

 **Please review! Chapter's a bit shorter since I wanted to split the next few parts up more.**

 **~CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT**

* * *

 **Hiro Hamada**

The man that walks in isn't exactly what I pictured – a part of me pictured something more human like Danny, while the other part of me pictured something more grotesque and monstrous like Plasmius. This one – Amorpho as Baymax identified – falls in some strange mix of the two. Like both Danny and Plasmius, he has a humanoid form that's tall and thin. His long extravagant coat, tallish hat, and cane give the illusion of him being even taller. His skin is as white as snow and bares no facial features save for what seems to be red, round glasses that give the illusion of red eyes. If it's a he at all; do ghosts even have genders? When I look closer, I can see that he floats a good inch or two off the ground and the coat morphs a bit in a way that makes it seem as if he has no legs nor feet – like a ghostly tail. Unlike Danny, he doesn't have a visible, strong glow and instead has a very faint glow that gives off a slight sense of unease in his presence.

"Gh-Gh-Gho-Gho-"

Wasabi can't even get the word out before he begins to look faint. He backs away quickly and sits down on a chair with a brown bag, breathing into it as a way to ease his nervous. But his eyes are still wide and frantic and focused on Amorpho's every move. GoGo stands protectively beside him, her eyes dangerously narrowed and her arms tightly crossed against her chest. Honey Lemon looks disorientated – unsure of herself, of what she's seeing, of what to do. Her eyebrows are furrowed and she bites at her lip, a hand absently gripping at her heart. Fred can't seem to tear his eyes away from the supposed ghost – when I look closely I can see little, excited stars dancing in his irises. But me? I can't seem to remember how to breathe. I hold my breath tightly, my chest constricting from the lack of air as I stare at the ghost, waiting for him to do or say something. My fingers twitch.

"Hello, hello," his voice echoes off the walls as he makes a grand gesture of stretching out his arms, "Your hero has arrived…. Really? No applause? No _thank you?_ You're just as ungrateful as the halfa for my services. What do you think it's _easy_ for me to hold off Plasmius long enough for you to make your escape? Do you think it was _easy_ for me to sneak the halfa's new squeeze out of the hospital so he was here where it's safe? _Ugh._ I just get no appreciate around here, I swear."

His eyes – glasses? - seem disgruntled as plops down on the nearest empty bean bag chair. He doesn't so much as plop as gracefully float down into it. His arms cross in a huff as he mumbles incoherently under his breath. He doesn't seem to notice most of our presence as I try to process his words. _Halfa –_ he knows what Danny is. He's listed as an ally and when Baymax called Danny, he said that Amoprho would fight off Plasmius to let us escape (a fact that Amphoro himself just mentioned). But what does he mean about sneaking Danny's new squeeze out of the hospital?

"Um I don't suppose any of you have some clothes I can borrow," a familiar voice reaches my ears and the breath I was holding releases in relief as I relax into my seat.

Tadashi wanders in, briefly looking at Amphoro and opening his mouth as if he's going to make some sort of comment before stopping himself, shaking his head dismissively. He briefly looks around the room, raising an eyebrow at the large fantasy portrait of Fred, before he gazes at all of us. He has a look on his face that I know too well. The apologetic, worried face. The one he makes when he wants to make everything better, to keep everyone safe, to make everything right. But this is a bit different, if slightly, as there's something else in his expression. Shame. Guilt. He's hiding something and I feel it has something to do with all of this and not just about Danny being half ghost.

However, his question is a rather important one as it's very clear he had no time to get any clothes. He still dawns the thin, hospital gown that barely even covers anything and there is a such thing as seeing too much of my brother. I quickly turn my head with a gag, yet I can see GoGo looking at him perceptively.

"G-GoGo," Tadashi protests her staring and I can hear the blush in his voice as I see GoGo shrug with a non-apologetic expression on her face before her attention goes, once again, to the ghost in the room.

Baymax's shield seems to be back up, I note absently as I spot the green dome-like energy surrounding the room before, like GoGo, I turn my attention back to Amorpho. He doesn't seem too concerned about anything as he leans in the beanbag chair casually. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he looks tired. Even the faint glow around him is dimming and fading in and out of eyesight. Though he does glance warily toward the jewels and stones that GoGo wears.

"Someone get the poor kid some damn clothes," Amphoro's voice lacks its earlier enthusiasm and energy, "And I don't think Billy's going to appreciate any of you staring down his boyfriend."

That's the comment that makes Wasabi finally get a hold of his breathing. The gasps into the brown paper bag slow before he finally looks up at the ghost, flinching when the ghost meets his gaze.

"B-Billy," Wasabi questions, "….Don't you mean Danny?"

"Billy, Danny, Halfa, Bob, Inviso-whatever," Amorpho huffs and waves his hand tiredly in a dismissive manner, "Tomato tomato, potato potato. It's all the same. Whatever. All I know is that I'm washed out like a celebrity with no more movie deals and is stuck on shitty _Disney_ TV shows while dealing with a drug addiction after fighting Plasmius and want nothing more than to go back into my lair into the other realm, binge watch _Housewives,_ and pray that there's something, somewhere that can get me drunk enough to get over all of this shit. But _no._ Gotta obey my orders and whatnot and stay here to protect you lot. Cunningham, or whatever, is watching over your aunt by the way. I hate that damn dog as much as it hates me, but at least she's safe so don't like, worry over her or anything."

I raise an eyebrow at that, but don't offer any comment. There's something about the way he talks, his attitude, that makes him less threading and a lot more casual. But the mention of my aunt makes me shy away with a bit of shame and guilt. I didn't even think about her. I didn't even think once about her being in danger from all of this or about her safety or anything. I bring my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them as I rest my head, hiding away from the guilt in my chest.

"Seriously though," Amorpho looks to Tadashi, "You really need to get dressed. No one's going to take you seriously when you're half naked."

* * *

It's not until Amorpho leaves, after briefly calling Danny to give him an update and asking (a bit domineeringly and desperately) if it was okay for him to dash, and Fred lends some clothes to Tadasahi – even if it's just some rather large sweats paired with an almost too small t-shit that has a picture of nyan cat on it – do we finally get the chance to really discuss on what our next move is. Wasabi is more vocal now since the ghost is gone, but he constantly looks at Baymax nervously as if he expects another ghost alarm to go off any second. GoGo seems the most intense about all of this, constantly giving her two cents about going after Plasmius or better yet, even calling Danny about all of it. While Tadashi seems worried about the idea of Danny fighting Plasmius, he seems to still be holding something back about all of it.

"If Danny isn't going to fight that ghost, or hell, even do something more productive at all like show his damn face around here to help out, then I'll go after that monster myself," GoGo argues fiercely, her hands on her hips, eyes narrowed dangerously as she stares up at my brother, daring him to challenge her.

"It's too dangerous," Tadashi insists, running his fingers through his hair – the tight shirt he wears stretches to the point where it almost looks like it's going to break from the movement of his muscles.

His hair is so mangled and unkempt. There are bags deep enough to have their own bags under his eyes. He doesn't seem like he can even keep still as he's constantly moving his arms and hands about. Occasionally, he glances toward me with worry. I've never seen him look this distraught. Almost as if he's only paying half-attention to the argument while the other half of his mind is somewhere else entirely, worrying about something else. Or someone else.

"Look, I don't like sitting around here and doing nothing either, but none of us are prepared to go help Danny -"

 _Help Danny._ So Danny _is_ going after Plasmius or Vlad or whoever _alone_. So that's what Tadashi's been hiding. Or at least part of it. But _why_? I know Danny, being a half ghost, has more chance than anyone to defeat the ghost, but still. I shift in my seat. How can Danny not even tell us he's going to go after such a dangerous ghost? He may be powerful, from what I've seen, but is he powerful to defeat that Plasmius guy on his own? Does he think we aren't capable of helping him? Sure, we didn't do so good tonight, but if Danny would have let us help, we would have been prepared.

"-Help Danny," Honey Lemon interjects and Tadashi winces at the slip of tongue, "What do mean by _help Danny?"_

"Do you mean he went after that thing alone," Wasabi's voice sounds a bit more stern, "Because call me crazy, but I don't think he stands a damn chance against that Plasmius guy! He's just _one man,_ Tadashi!"

Tadashi lets out a slightly frustrated huff, refusing to meet anyone's gaze as he tries to gathers his own thoughts. Everyone else, myself excluded, seem to be adding their own thoughts and arguments now. GoGo is the loudest, saying how now we had a duty to go help Danny. Honey Lemon is worried and hurt. Wasabi even more so. Fred seems to fairly okay with it, but I can see in his eyes that even he's a tad concerned.

"We are going to help him," GoGo takes a stand, her voice firm in a way that makes it hard for anyone to argue, "Whether you're with us, or against us. But we are not going to leave Danny to fight that monster alone. I don't care how much experience he has."

He can't argue with her. I can see it in his eyes. He doesn't have a good argument against that – he has no ammunition that will make her back down. I can see the defeat in his irises as he sighs deeply, plopping down on a nearby beanbag chair – as Fred seems to have too many of them. He looks tired. As if he wants nothing more than to just go to bed. I don't blame him. Even I feel like going to sleep and not waking up for a good long while.

"Fine," he finally speaks up softly, his voice a bit hoarse, "I won't stop you. But if you're going to do this, you have to know what you're up against."

When he looks up at us, he looks older than I've ever seen him. As if the weight of the world and then some rest on his shoulders. There's so much emotion swirling in his eyes. Regret. Guilt. Shame. Love. Worry. It's all there, creating a storm in his irises. It's as if someone died or is going to die and he doesn't know what he can do about it. I've seen that same look before – I blink and I can see him staring down at me with that exact same face before he told me the worst news I had ever heard in my life. That Mom and Dad were gone and they weren't coming back.

"I don't know everything," he explains, "But I know enough to tell you that Vlad is your main concern. He's more devious than you know and capable of so much more than what you're giving him credit for. If we want to stop Plasmius, our best bet is to get through Vlad first. And I know exactly where we can find him… But first things first, we all need a serious upgrade."


	54. Chapter Forty-Nine

**I'm not dead, but things have been seriously hectic and busy the past couple of months. Thankfully, a majority of it has calmed down so I can focus a bit more on writing again! I have a lot of new fics planned and a lot of revising/redos of old fics too! I plan on finally finishing up Science Fiction so I can move onto its _sequel._ Please review. **

**-CWA**

* * *

 **CHAPTER FORTY-NINE**

* * *

 **Danny**

My breathing is not what it's supposed to be right now. It leaves in short huffs as my body tenses, my hands twitching at my sides as I land on the island. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, only making me more jittery. More anxious. More trigger-happy. More _angry._ I can't seem to clear my head for even a second. All that storms through my mind is _Vlad. Vlad. Vlad._ He's a _monster._ He's a _murderer._ He's a _bastard._ He deserves to _die_ for everything he did and everything he's _still doing._ _Why can't he just leave me alone?_

A low growl forms deep in my throat and my vision is blurred with red. I shake my head frantically and focus on the coldness deep in my chest – my core. The icy sensation floods over my skin and veins and I take a deep, chilly breath, breathing out a blue fog. I open my eyes and see clearly. The red hot anger has numbed down due to the cold shaking me back to my sanity. I glance down at my hand as I flex it and I can see the very faint, transparent sparkles of ice glistening on my fingertips. My feet, the farthest body part from my core, still are burning hot with all the angry energy I forced down.

 _I'm not Dan,_ I remind myself, _I'm not Him_. I take another deep, cold breath, holding it for a moment before releasing it. Meditation isn't really my forte and Jazz has, multiple times, told me how using my ice core to cool me down isn't meditation. That it's cheating. That it's just a temporary fix. Maybe she's right but if it keeps me from killing Vlad and keeping my promise to Tadashi then I'll do anything I can.

A bright blue invades my vision before fading to an ecto-green. I can feel the green glow around my eyes flickering with power. My burning feet cause each footstep to be burned into the ground as I walk. From the corner of my eyes, I can see them faintly flicker with green fire. My stance is still tense. My shoulders are back, my head is high. My eyes are sharp. Even if I'm not blindly angry and took a moment to calm myself, my body is still on edge. Ready for a fight.

"Vlad," I sign-song his name in a taunting manner and it echoes all around the island, "Vlad~"

I'd much rather face this head on and I head straight into the warehouse without fear. His name still echoes from my lips as I keep an eye out for any sign of him. A movement from the shadows on the left get my attention and I react quick enough to dodge out of the way before I get with a wave of microbots. My ghost sense has yet to go off. My eyes narrow as I continue to dodge a few other attacks. If it's not a ghost, I'd rather keep my use of my powers to a minimum. I blink and the green glow of my eyes dies down, as does the fire at my feet and the white aura around my body fades off.

"You don't have to act human," a familiar voice spits through the air and looking up, I can see the man behind the robots.

Dark trench coat. Strange mask. Giving off an almost serial-killer vibe. Definitely someone who'd work for or with Vlad – oh who am I kidding? Vlad doesn't work _with_ anyone. He's too prideful to admit anyone could ever be on his level. Each and every person and/or ghost that follows him are always controlled like puppets by that damn, manipulative bastard. Ghosts listen to him because he's powerful, scary. Humans usually follow him because he's charming, a liar who tells them what they want to hear. When that doesn't work, then they'll see just what makes some of the other ghosts _piss_ themselves.

But it's no mystery at who this man is. He's a traitor. He's a liar. He's a thief. If not for me saving Tadashi, he would have even been a _murderer._ But I'm after Vlad, not the human he manipulated into working for him – though something tells me that even if Vlad never showed up, Callaghan had the potential to do this by himself.

"Vlad told me all about you," the man taunts, "I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to find out one of my prized students was _half ghost_. Tsk, tsk, Daniel."

"Really," I bare my teeth as I glare at him, my eyes flashing a deadly green, "Because you turning out to be some evil villain wasn't much of a surprise to me at all, Callaghan. I always did tell Tadashi you were batshit crazy."

His head tilts and for a brief moment, the microbot attacks stop as he stares at me through his mask. I don't let my guard down – I know that Vlad has to be somewhere nearby. He isn't stupid enough to just leave his newest lackey to take care of him. But he's smart enough to know I wouldn't kill or seriously hurt a human either…. But freezing. Freezing someone isn't going to hurt them. But it will get them out of my way so I can get Vlad.

"Oh and by the way," the green in my eyes flashes to a blue, my hand lighting up as the icy chill washes over me, "Don't call me Daniel."

There's one second delay. Just one _split_ second before the blast shoots out of my palms. But it's enough to give him a chance to react. He dodges out of the way, leaving a small portion of the microbots to take the hit instead. A growl of frustration leaves my lips. So he's not going to accept defeat easily then? Shit. I don't want to waste any time here on him. Microbots shoot at me from all side. I barely even have to dodge them, my body turning intangible with the intention that whatever bots I don't dodge would harmlessly pass through me. But a hiss escapes from my lips when the microbots graze against my side, leaving a burning, rather deep cut in their wake.

"A nice little anti-ghost addition," Callaghan comments nonchalantly, "Vladimir thought it was necessary after our encounter with that other ghost – that shape-shifting _freak of nature."_

I sneer. The threat of the microbots become a bit more real and all the alarms start going off in my head, becoming more alert of each of their movements. They can leave some nasty wounds if I'm not careful. The burning sensation in my side makes that painfully obvious. But they're not impossible to dodge or even destroy via ice or even a strong ectoblast. As if they're laced with something meant to burn or destroy ghosts, but not something that's immune to a ghost's own attacks. But this whole idea is just _wasting time._ It's a _distraction._ My lip curls and the anger and frustration, once cooled, yet again begins to heat up in my chest.

"Why are you working for him," I spit out, destroying another bundle of the small robots, "He won't give you whatever he promised he would! I don't fucking care if it's power or money or _anything_ – Vlad's nothing more than a _foul fucking, murderous asshole._ A _monster!"_

The attacks slow enough for me to know that my comments are affecting Callaghan in some manner. Something that can work in my favor to cut this fight off sooner. But just when I begin to think I have the upper hand, a cool blue air leaves my mouth and a familiar voice echoes throughout the room.

" _A monster, am I? For what? For trying to control this chaotic world? The filthy savages run around this plane of existence like chickens with their heads cut off. They need order. Discipline. A leader."_

My vision blurs red and I blink in an attempt to clear it as I turn, baring my teeth in a snarl. The microbots. Callaghan. None of it matters. What matters is the _monster_ that hovers in the air, arms crossed over his chest, looking as if he's already won this fight. But he hasn't. I won't let him. I will _never_ let him win. My stance becomes more tense, more ready to attack, my entire body emitting a strong white glow as my eyes burn a light of fiery.

"Don't you mean _dictator,"_ I growl, "And in case you haven't forgotten, Plasmius, _you're_ half human too. So don't act as if you're so above those 'filthy savages.'"

Plasmius tsk's at me, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, Little Badger. You see, _we_ are so much more than them. We're an _evolved_ species. Half human, maybe, but not for long. Our humans sides will eventually fade away entirely and we will turn into a whole new species of ghost. A _better_ species. A _more powerful_ species. We'll be less like ghosts and more like _gods."_

A predatory grin spreads across his face and all I can do is stare at him. There's so much disgust and anger that floods through me that I almost miss the way he nods toward Callaghan to signal him – the man leaves quickly. To do what, I'm not sure. I twitch, almost wanted to go after him to keep him from hurting people, but my feet stay glued where I am. I can't leave Vlad. Especially after that _speech._ My fists curl tight and my jaw clenches,

"You can't really believe yourself to be a _god_ when all you are is _pathetic."_


End file.
